


This Thing Called Love

by FanOfTA



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-11-03 13:46:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 36
Words: 91,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10968462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanOfTA/pseuds/FanOfTA
Summary: After the split between men and women, society changed greatly.  New ways to reproduce and carry on without the other gender were developed.  Social statuses were completely restructured, separating the people into classes based on their intelligence and biological capabilities.  The people were given equality within these classes.  With this equality, everyone was given equal opportunity to anyone else within their class, as long as consent was given.  As these changes happened, the people forgot certain emotions.  Loyalty became a thing of the past, and relationships soon followed.  Sex was means of surviving and a recreational activity done with anyone and everyone.  Love ceased to exist...Until one day a young man rediscovered it.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is cross-posted from AFF and was written between November 3, 2013 and July 20, 2014.
> 
> Spanish Translation by EdithJong: [Here](https://www.wattpad.com/story/136923169?utm_source=android&utm_medium=link&utm_content=story_info&wp_page=story_details_button&wp_uname=EdithJong&wp_originator=LpHt4nsaw7XGOEe4HOFPrfOml28pG8fsfeR6Mh0XsNxcdlh%2F9iGT5C7p8%2Fp0F%2B4j%2Fp3x4bcjQcKmL4qvdplLUJPWDSZ62sNe7E8R7yns1FOg7C9RC6W5%2B%2BSnFDIPdym0&_branch_match_id=514271870036187655)
> 
> I WILL NOT BE RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS REGARDING WHO TOPS OR BOTTOMS.

      Smog rose from the tall factories lining the city. The sky above was its usual, bleak gray color due to the pollution. Nobody seemed to care about the sky anymore though. Blue skies were just a myth after all, so why expect them or wait for them?

 

      Joonmyun took a deep breath as he stepped into a bullet train that would take him to work that morning. He found a seat near the window and glanced outside as the train began to move again. Buildings whooshed by, each looking like the last, dark gray against a light gray sky. Joonmyun sometimes wondered how other people didn't go crazy at the lack of scenery. Then again, he was always someone who thought more than those around him, so perhaps it was just him.

 

      He glanced around the train at the people headed to work alongside him. They were all men. There were no women in their city. In fact, Joonmyun hadn't ever seen a woman in his life. They'd left long ago. Some of the men in the train had round bellies that protruded out in front of them. It was their time to be pregnant it seemed. That was normal for the birthing class though. Even Joonmyun would end up that way in a year.

 

      The city operated through different classes. The highest was the intellectual class. It consisted of the geniuses of society, and revolved around furthering science and technology. They lived in the nicest part of the city. The next class was the working class. They ran most of the facilities in the city and had the widest variety of jobs, encompassing every service needed. Beneath their rank was the family class. They took care of the children that the birthing class made. The people in the class were separated into family units, consisting of 2 adults, and took care of children until they were 16. At that age, the children would take an adulthood test that would separate them into their specific class. After that, they would go to that class and receive 2 years of training before joining in the activities of the class. Continuing on the classes, underneath the family class was the birthing class, which Joonmyun was part of. Finally, the lowest class was the simple class. This class consisted of the mentally retarded or challenged and often consisted of simple tasks such as pushing buttons. They were kept in the facilities they worked in to make sure they didn't cause any trouble and were properly looked after.

 

      As the name suggested, the birthing class produced the children. They were the only class allowed to become pregnant actually, even though most men in the society had the ability to become pregnant. It had all started when women and men split apart. The men needed a way to reproduce and carry on. They found their solution in surgically implanting a womb within a man. The baby had to be removed via caesarian procedure, but it worked. As the years went on, more men were naturally born with wombs and less had to be added. Still, some men had weak wombs and couldn't support a baby, while others were extremely fertile. It honestly depended.

 

      Within the birthing class, men would wear a special badge that would specify whether they had fertile wombs or strong semen. This helped other people in the class know who to impregnate or whom to find to do the job. Speaking of it in terms like that, the main 'job' of the birthing class was to get pregnant. Working in the facilities that produced various baby products and contraceptives was just a side job.

 

      Those who had fertile wombs each had allotted times their doctors had given them to become pregnant. To become pregnant outside of that allotted time or skip one of the time periods was against the laws and could get a person in a world of hurt with the hospital and the government. Everything was spaced out for a reason, and to overpopulate or underpopulate could bring about the city's downfall. Most started when they were 18 and had a baby every 3 to 5 years. Joonmyun was a strange case though. He was 21 and wasn't supposed to even start his first pregnancy for another year, according to his doctor.

 

      He rubbed his stomach unconsciously as he watched a pregnant man stand up to get off the train. The truth was he was scared. Horrified even, but at the same time, he'd longed to start helping society and contributing like everyone else. He hated feeling like he had no purpose in the society. He would just have to be patient though.

 

      The train pulled into the station near his workplace and he got off, quickly walking to the factory. When he got inside, he took the elevator up to the floor that he worked on. His job was to package the contraceptives that the entire city used. It was quite a dull job, but it kept him busy and gave him some extra money at least.

 

      He went to his place in the assembly line and nodded a greeting at the men around him. He then began his work, his gaze only averting from it when Sehun stepped into his place across from him in the assembly line. Sehun was a young boy, only of the age of 18, who'd started working recently. He was good at his job though, despite his young age, and had strong sperm apparently. There were a lot of people in the facility who had their eyes on him, even if all they wanted was a fun night with him.

 

      That was another thing about their society. There was no such thing as a relationship or strong connection between people. The closest thing was a family unit, and even that was just a job, nothing more. In this society, everyone belonged to everybody else. There was no special claim to just one individual. In fact, if someone stayed with the same person for more than a month, it was considered questionable and looked down upon. There was no reason to form couples. They just spurred jealousy and competition, which a successful society didn't need.

 

      Sex was treated as a recreational activity as well. There wasn't much in the forms of entertainment besides parties and shows, and sex definitely beat those. It was common to sleep with someone at least once a week, though there was no law saying a person had to. Only the birthing class had such serious demands.

 

      How did the people of this society have so much sex without repercussions? They were forced to take mountains of pills and preventatives each night. They prevented the diseases that plagued people of the past, periods, and conception. Of course, the birthing class members who were supposed to conceive stopped taking the contraceptives when it was their pregnancy time.

 

      Still, in this society, just because everyone had equal opportunity to sleep with everyone, that didn't mean they slept with just anyone. Sehun, for instance, only slept with the exceptional members of the birthing class it seemed. Joonmyun didn't think he was particularly beautiful or talented, so he never expected himself to sleep with Sehun. The boy was handsome and strong-looking though. Joonmyun couldn't help but desire him.

 

      He sighed as he packaged the 30th contraceptive of the morning when he heard a stifled laugh from across the assembly line. He glanced up and was surprised to find Sehun smiling at him. The younger boy spoke up while Joonmyun was still gaping.

      “Does it bore you that much?”

      “Huh? Oh, no...it's not anything like that...”

      “Really?” Sehun asked, smirking. “I wouldn't blame you if you were bored. It's not that glamorous of a job.”

      “I suppose...” Joonmyun mumbled. It was strange. Sehun had only talked to him twice before, and they were both very brief exchanges. He wasn't used to the other boy taking notice in him at all.

      “Did you dye your hair?” The younger asked next.

      “Huh? Oh...Yeah...I did...” Joonmyun awkwardly responded, remembering he'd dyed it dark red the other night.

      “It looks nice,” Sehun said simply.

      “Thank you...”

 

      That was the extent of their conversation, but it still made Joonmyun feel light and fluffy inside. Perhaps it was because he'd finally been noticed and he was one more step closer to sleeping with his ideal person. That sounded conniving, but it was Joonmyun's inner intentions, so why deny it?

 

      The work day went on slowly as usual. When it finally ended, Joonmyun let out a deep sigh and stretched. He was heading to the elevator when a hand grabbed at his wrist, causing him to turn around and look up. It was one of the workers from further down the assembly line. He'd taken an interest in Joonmyun about a week ago and they'd slept with each other twice since then.

      “What is it?” Joonmyun asked.

      “I was wondering if you were free tonight...” The man muttered.

      “I...” He started, but cut himself off.

 

      He was free, but he didn't really want to sleep with the man again. Sex with that man was far more pleasing for the former than it was for Joonmyun. He never felt satisfied in the end. Before he could speak up to tell the man he was busy, a hand grabbed his other wrist and pulled him away.

      “Sorry. He's seeing me tonight,” Sehun stated, continuing to pull Joonmyun away from the man.

      “Is that so?” The worker sighed. “You got yourself a good one, Joonmyun! Enjoy him. Oh, and you enjoy him too,” the man told Sehun while he pointed to the other boy. “He's got a nice ass, one of the best I've had.”

      “Thank you. I'm sure I will,” Sehun said in a monotone voice as he pulled Joonmyun in the elevator. When they were alone inside, finally the latter spoke up.

      “Thank you for that...”

      “For what? I didn't try to save you if that's what it seemed like. I want to fuck you.”

      “Well...yeah...But still...” Joonmyun mumbled, blushing.

 

      Did Sehun honestly want to sleep with him? He hadn't noticed him until now. Did changing his hair make that much of a difference? Was Sehun actually that easy to get? Well, either way it didn't matter. Joonmyun wanted to sleep with him and apparently the other wanted him as well.

 

      The elevator opened and the two stepped out. Sehun glanced at Joonmyun expectantly. After no forward movement was made, the younger spoke up.

      “Are you going to take me to your place or what? I don't want to do it at mine.” He snapped irritably.

      “Oh, right! Sorry...”

 

      Joonmyun quickly hurried to the train station and he and Sehun got on board the next train that arrived. The ride was completely silent. They really hadn't ever talked and couldn't be considered friends, so Joonmyun didn't know what to say.

 

      They got off at the station near Joonmyun's small house. They walked for about 5 minutes then finally reached it. The older let Sehun inside and quickly ran around turning on lights and cleaning up a few minor messes. Sehun's eyes surveyed the place, but he remained silent, which made Joonmyun nervous.

      “Did you...want something to drink? Maybe eat?” He asked. Sehun nodded and turned to him.

      “Your place is pretty small...”

      “It's enough,” Joonmyun said contentedly as he began working on a simple supper.

 

      They ate together at the table, again in silence. Sehun really wasn't much of a talker, but Joonmyun didn't really mind. It was nice just to be able to look at the boy. It would be even nicer once he actually slept with him, he bet.

 

      When dinner was finished, Joonmyun quickly cleared the dishes and put them in the sink to clean later. Sehun had made his way into the small living room and was glancing around.

      “Where's your bedroom?” He asked. Joonmyun was a bit surprised. Sehun really wanted to hurry things along, didn't he?

      “It's that door,” he answered, pointing.

 

      Sehun grabbed his wrist and led him into the room. The younger nodded at him and Joonmyun started taking off his clothes. He pouted when he saw that the younger boy had only loosened his pants and pulled them down a bit.

      “You're going to do it clothed?”

      “Yeah. Got a problem with that?” Sehun growled back. It must have been a touchy subject for him.

      “No...I just don't want to get your clothes dirty...”

      “If you're on your hands and knees, that won't happen.”

      “Ah. I see. That's how you prefer it then.”

 

      Sehun didn't answer, but began stroking his length. Joonmyun couldn't help but find it arousing. He needed to stop staring and stretch himself though, or else it would hurt like hell. He walked over to his nightstand and pulled out his lubrication. He got on the bed and knelt on his knees. He squirted a bit on his fingers, leaned forward on one hand, and with the other, tenderly inserted the first finger.

 

      As he continued to stretch himself and insert fingers, he moaned quietly. He never really minded this part. After all, he knew his body best, so he could make it quite pleasurable. After a while, he felt a hand around his wrist and his fingers were pulled out. The head of Sehun's member then teased at his entrance. The boy really seemed to like to hurry things along. Joonmyun felt two hands plant themselves firmly on his hips and a second later, Sehun began to push in.

 

      Joonmyun moaned and his back arched at the warmth that was slowly penetrating him. When Sehun was completely inside, all movements halted. Joonmyun looked over his shoulder and found the boy looking down, his hair covering a majority of his face. He really wished the younger would let him face him so he could see his face throughout the whole thing, but it couldn't be helped.

      “How often do you sleep with people?” Sehun asked randomly.

      “About average, I suppose...”

      “So when was the last time someone had you?”

      “3 days ago.”

      “I see...”

      “What about you?”

      “Secret.”

      “What!?” Joonmyun whined.

 

      His whine quickly turned into a moan though, as Sehun pulled out and rammed back into him. His thrusts were slow at first, and each just left Joonmyun wanting more. As he sped up, Joonmyun felt himself become harder. This was definitely one of the more pleasing sexual experiences he'd had. The way Sehun's body moved was unlike any normal person's. He had to be experienced if he was reducing Joonmyun to this much.

 

      The older boy didn't even try to stifle the cries as Sehun hit his prostate. The younger didn't seem to mind either. In fact, Joonmyun could swear he heard the boy laugh a little before ramming into him just a bit harder. He was thankful Sehun was thinking about his sexual experience as well. He hated when the other person just sated themselves and went on their way, leaving him to finish by himself.

 

      He hadn't realized just how aroused Sehun was though until he heard a guttural moan erupt through the room and felt himself being filled with the boy's seed. Joonmyun hadn't reached his high just yet sadly, but he wasn't disappointed for long. Sehun reached around his front and began stroking his member. It wasn't painfully rough, but it was enough to gradually drive Joonmyun over the edge, cumming in the younger's hands.

 

      They both panted and tried to catch their breath. Joonmyun felt Sehun pull out of him and he couldn't help but be a little sad. He hadn't expected a second round, but still, he had hoped for one. His hopes were reignited when Sehun spoke up again though.

      “You really are something else. You've got a great ass...It's perfect...”

      “I get told that a lot,” Joonmyun said, chuckling a bit.

      “Wanna do it again sometime?”

      “Of course! I'm up for it if you are.”

      “Great. Then I'll see you at the factory and we can do this again sometime soon.”

      “You aren't gonna stay the night? I mean, you don't have to, but it's an option if you want.”

      “No. I'll head home for now. Thanks for tonight.”

      “No...Thank you...”  
 

      Joonmyun listened as Sehun left the house and sighed. He got out of bed and pulled on a pair of sweats, not bothering to put on a new pair of underwear. He walked to the kitchen and cleaned the dishes. When he'd finished, he yawned and realized it was quite late at night.

 

      He stumbled into the living room sleepily. It was dark and he didn't feel like turning the lights on, so he felt his way through the room, trying to get back to his bedroom. Of course, he tripped on something and fell to the ground. After groaning and rubbing his side, he glanced at his feet and noticed a strange cardboard and paper object.

 

      He grabbed it and upon closer inspection, realized it was a book, something they didn't normally see. What was it doing here though? He tried hard to recall how it got there and remembered that he'd received it in the mail some time ago. It was sent to half the city by some lunatics from far outside they city walls apparently. The government had done a city-wide collection of it and burned most of them. Joonmyun had forgotten he'd ever received one though, so he didn't give it to them on the day of collection. He could get in loads of trouble for owning it. He would dispose of it tomorrow, he decided.

 

      He took it into his room and set it on his nightstand, next to his many pill bottles, so he wouldn't forget about it. He lied down in his bed and stared at the ceiling. He really hoped it wouldn't be too long before Sehun had sex with him again. He honestly wouldn't mind carrying Sehun's baby now that he thought of it. Perhaps in a year's time, he would ask the boy to sleep with him again.

 

      He rolled over on his side and stared curiously at the book. Why had the government been so determined to get rid of it? He opened it up and began skimming the pages. It talked about a time period long ago that Joonmyun couldn't even begin to fathom. It was before the structured society had formed. The book seemed to focus on both a man and a woman as well. Joonmyun could almost vaguely visualize the girl from the description in the book. He found himself more and more drawn into the strange world of the book. The night dragged on without him even realizing it. He finally stopped when he reached a word that he really couldn't comprehend and hadn't ever heard. _Love._

 

      He shut the book and set it back on his nightstand. He really needed to sleep now. He knew he was going to be tired the following day. He grabbed a pill from each different bottle and took them, closing his eyes and falling into a restless slumber shortly after.


	2. Chapter 2

       The following day at work was extremely bland for Joonmyun. The only thing that seemed to pass the time was contemplating the contents of the book he'd read last night, though he knew he shouldn't be. At least Sehun seemed to acknowledge him a bit more. Still, they didn't actually have much of a conversation.

 

       When the day ended, Sehun didn't stop him this time, much to Joonmyun's disappointment. It couldn't be helped though. The younger boy didn't belong to him. With that thought, Joonmyun began thinking about the book again. About that word he couldn't comprehend. That word, _love_. Perhaps if Sehun didn't entertain him that evening, he would go home and search more for what that word means.

 

       That was precisely what he did. He turned down the man who'd tried to take him yesterday before Sehun showed up, not feeling like sleeping with anybody else. The instant he got home, he changed into more comfortable clothing and curled up on his bed, nose stuck in the book. He had tried to look up the meaning of love, but none of the online encyclopedias or dictionaries seemed to have any data on it. He decided he would try and learn through the context of the book.

 

       As he read on, he became confused. The man in the book was trying desperately to get the girl, which he could slightly understand since he knew the two were once meant to be together in the past. What he didn't understand was why he was trying so hard and why she just wouldn't give into it. Anyone in his city would have just given up by that point. Was this the so-called love? If so, Joonmyun didn't think it was a very positive way to live.

 

       Still, he continued to read. The man's efforts soon stopped being in vain and the girl started to notice him. Joonmyun found himself excited about this. He was genuinely happy for the man, and the latter seemed to have perked up in the story as well. Was this also an effect of love? Perhaps it had both its ups and downs.

 

       As the story went on, more confusing things happened. The man and the woman spent so much time together. It was unheard of to be that close to someone in this society. 'Close to someone?' Did they even have that sort of expression? Not only that, but the man's affection was surprisingly physical with her, but never sexual. Joonmyun had learned a new term from the book. It was something called 'hugging,' and apparently it consisted of wrapping your arms around someone, but nothing more than that.

 

       It seemed like a strange concept, and pointless, yet he oddly found himself dying to try it, with Sehun of all people. Not that he would though. The other boy would probably just think he was crazy. Still, he longed for it. Why was it always Sehun though? He could dream of hugging anyone, so why him? He settled for the fact that Sehun was the last person he'd slept with so he was the first who came to mind.

 

       A few more days went by. Joonmyun continued to turn down the various workers who asked to sleep with him. He would honestly rather go home and read his book. Unless, of course, Sehun confronted him. Then he would sleep with him in a heartbeat.

 

       As Joonmyun was getting ready to clock out for the day, a familiar face stepped out of the elevator. He smiled happily at the newcomer and waved. The latter immediately bounded over to him.

       “How have you been?” A boy slightly older than him with somewhat plump cheeks and a flat nose asked.

       “Well enough,” Joonmyun answered. “How have you been, Henry?”

       “Well as ever! I just got back from a month-long vacation!”

       “I was wondering why I hadn't seen you! Where did you vacation though? Outside the city?”

       “No, just in one of the recreational zones on the far end of the city.”

       “Really? I would have gone outside if it were me...”

       “But it's so dangerous outside! Besides, I wasn't alone, so I didn't feel like doing anything too crazy~”

       “You weren't? Who did you take with you?”

       “A friend of mine...Well, yours too, I suppose.”

       “Oh? Just tell meeee!!!”

       “Alright...Well, it's Liu...”

       “The spunky one who always calls me awkward?”  
       “Yeah!”

       “Really!? Are you two close or something? Liu wasn't the type to really go out with people.” Joonmyun only realized after he said it that Henry might not understand what he meant by 'close,' but the older boy smiled a second later.

       “You could say that~”

       “Really?” Joonmyun decided to ignore the fact that Henry didn't seem confused at all and just took it as a lucky guess on the other's part.

       “Yeah...We even slept together...Quite a bit on vacation actually...”

       “What!? But Liu never slept with anyone as far as I knew! He was never interested...”

       “Well...Guess you just need to get to know him,” Henry smiled softly.

 

       Joonmyun gaped. Getting to know someone was definitely not something they were supposed to do. Did Henry find fascination in such things the same way he did? Before he could ask, another voice interrupted them.

       “Oh, Henry. Welcome back,” Sehun said.

       “Thanks! Good to see you again!”

       “You planning to be with Joonmyun tonight?” The younger boy asked, causing Henry to look at said boy in question.

       “No. We were just talking. Are YOU planning to be with him though?”

       “I am, actually,” Sehun stated simply. Joonmyun blushed as Henry gave him a knowing smirk. The older boy knew how much he had wanted Sehun amongst the others.

       “Then I guess I better let you two go~ See you at work tomorrow!”

       “Yep. See you,” Joonmyun said gently before allowing himself to be pulled away by Sehun.

 

       They headed to the train station again and boarded the train, just like they had the time before. When they sat down on the train though, Joonmyun had the sudden urge to talk to Sehun, to learn at least something about the boy. So talk, he did.

       “Hey...” He muttered quietly, glancing at the other timidly.

       “What?” Sehun asked.

       “What do you like to do...in your spare time I mean?”

       “Why do you ask?”

       “Just curious...There's no problem in talking to each other, is there?”

       “No...I suppose not. My hobbies are quite boring though. I just stay at home and read.”

       “Read?” Joonmyun asked, perking up a bit.

       “Mhm. Anything really. Encyclopedias, theories...things like that...”

       “Oh...I didn't think we had access to those things...I mean, the encyclopedias, yes, but not anything else...”

       “Well, I have my ways...”

       “Waaah! Then I bet you're really smart, huh?” Sehun laughed a bit at the older boy before shaking his head and smiling.

       “I'm not that smart.”

       “Still, bet you're smarter than me...”

       “I could teach you sometime if you want. It might be fun to discuss theories someday. That is, only if you're interested.”

       “Of course! I'd love that! I'm kinda stupid though...”

       “Oh, I doubt that! Ah, is this your stop?”

       “Hm? Oh! It is. Come on! Let's get off.”

 

       They disembarked and walked the short distance to Joonmyun's house once more. When they were there, the older prepared another quick meal for them. This time, however, as they ate, Sehun began to explain things to him. Simple mathematics and theories and the like, things Joonmyun could never have fathomed hearing about or understanding. The way the younger explained them, though, made him think that someday he too could master them.

 

       After supper, they headed to the bedroom, just like last time. Joonmyun had hidden his book so that no one would see it or find it, so he didn't worry too much about it. He pouted again when Sehun seemed to want to keep his clothing on. He hoped someday Sehun would tell him what the reason for it all was.

 

       For now, he just assumed the same position as last time and stretched himself as before. He hadn't slept with anyone since his last time with Sehun now that he thought about it. That didn't matter though, did it? He could sleep with who he wanted after all.

 

       He was so engrossed in his thoughts that it actually came as a surprise when Sehun pushed into him, a nice surprise though. He soon became a moaning mess with each of the boy's thrusts. They seemed to be having more of an effect on him this time around. Perhaps Sehun had learned some of his weak spots already? Or perhaps he was becoming more wrapped up in his feelings for Sehun.

 

       Feelings? Was that what it was? Joonmyun had read about them in his book, but he hadn't realized he was capable of having them. Was that what he was actually feeling for Sehun though? He'd never felt so confused in his life.

 

       A hard thrust to his prostate broke him out of his thoughts, causing him to let out a loud moan. The younger continued to abuse his prostate, which Joonmyun was thankful for honestly. Most people he slept with hardly hit it or bothered with it. Sehun was far more considerate than any of them. He was far more amazing than any of them as well. Joonmyun found his chest feeling awkward, almost fluffy and proud, as he thought of how the boy was inside him, belonging to him at that moment, and how he belonged to the boy as well. Even if it was just for a small time, it was amazing. Was this what feeling possessive was like?

 

       As Sehun thrust roughly into his sweet spot once more, Joonmyun found himself driven over the edge. His muscles naturally tightened around Sehun's member as he came onto the sheets. He heard the same groan from Sehun as last time and felt the younger boy cum inside him. Joonmyun sighed as he relished the feeling.

 

       It didn't stop there though. It seemed Sehun was in the mood for another round, this time. His slow thrusts began again and Joonmyun shivered in anticipation. For just a bit longer, the younger boy would be his. All his.

 

~*~

       After they'd finished their second round, Sehun pulled out tiredly and flopped down on his back on Joonmyun's bed, pulling his pants up once again. He was breathing heavily still and the older boy swore he looked absolutely perfect. He flopped down on his stomach beside the younger boy, not bothering to put clothes on. His eyes trailed over the boy's perfect features.

       “You gonna go home?” Joonmyun asked softly, praying the answer would be no, but expecting a yes.

       “Mm...Not if you don't mind me staying here. I'm tired and I don't really want to walk home.”

       “Walk home?”

       “Mhm. I live nearby here...but it's still a 10 minute walk...Do you not want me to stay?”

       “No! By all means, stay! You just didn't last time so I didn't know if you would this time...”

       “Mm...I think I will...Even though it's small, it's nice here.”

       “Glad to hear it,” Joonmyun said, smiling widely.

 

       He didn't say anything else to Sehun that night. He simply watched the boy slowly fall asleep, his thoughts roaming over unrealistic possibilities of them being together or becoming a couple. A couple? Like in the book? Was he really desiring that now? He shouldn't be. It was wrong. It was completely opposite of society's functions. Still, it was unbearably enticing, so he let himself daydream about it. There was no harm in dreams after all, right?

 

       Joonmyun sighed and ran his fingers through Sehun's hair. It wasn't something he would ever consider doing when the younger was awake, but asleep like this, he thought he might be able to try it. The boy's hair was so soft. Joonmyun could imagine himself fluffing it and resting his head against it. It was then that a strange thought occurred to him. Since Sehun was asleep, why not try out that 'hug' and see how it felt. He wanted to see if it was really as exhilarating as the people in the book found it.

 

       He reached his arm over the boy cautiously and lowered it gently on top of his stomach. After, he barely pressed himself closer, enough to feel the boy's warmth against his stomach. He pulled away almost instantly, feeling shy suddenly. The loss of warmth where the younger had been was almost painful though. So that was why a hug felt so great. Joonmyun couldn't help but notice how his heart was racing. Hugging someone really was amazing. Perhaps loving someone would be as well. Joonmyun would have to wait on that one. He didn't see himself falling in love any time soon. Not while he knew that he would be disobeying the very way in which they live.

 

       He settled back down on his stomach and glanced over at his nightstand. He grimaced as he looked at the various pill bottles aligned there. He had to wonder how he'd ever stomached so many before. He reached out and grabbed one, reading the label. It was one of the primary ones to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

 

       He sighed, placing it back on the nightstand. There was a time when they didn't have such a thing, a time when sex was more than just a recreational activity, a time when there were feelings behind it. Looking at the way they lived, Joonmyun began to realize just how fake they were. They weren't actually living. They were just following governed courses with no detours.

 

       Joonmyun knew it was wrong, but he wanted to try and live like the people in his book. He wanted to try and _live_ , not just be a slave to society. So that's what he would do, even if it got him in trouble someday.

 

       He nodded to himself and closed his eyes. That night, he didn't take any of his pills.


	3. Chapter 3

      A couple more weeks went by. Joonmyun slept with Sehun a few times each week. He was surprised Sehun still held such an interest in sleeping with him. Most would move on by that point. It was turning into more than just sex though. They would have conversations with each other and even dinner seemed to drag on without either realizing.

 

      Joonmyun couldn't have been happier. He was finding there was a strange feeling in his chest each time he saw Sehun, but it wasn't a bad feeling. It was something he actually liked. It made him feel alive. Hell, it made him _feel_ something. Up until now, anything he'd felt had been small, simplistic, and hardly worth feeling.

 

      Joonmyun still wasn't taking any of his pills. He was actually finding himself feeling a bit happier and less weighed down without them. He knew it was extremely risky not to take them, but he was only sleeping with Sehun and didn't plan to sleep with anyone else. He trusted that Sehun took his pills and that he was clean. The only problem would be if he got pregnant. He would have to start monitoring his cycle to try and prevent that.

 

      The days at work seemed to be a bit more exciting. Joonmyun would occasionally have conversations with Sehun. Henry was also back, so Joonmyun had another acquaintance to spend time with. Liu showed up every now and again as well, peppy as ever. He seemed to love to tease Joonmyun and call him awkward, which was true, but still, Liu could be gentler with it.

 

      As the day ended, Joonmyun started making his way to the elevator. He stopped when he heard a worker call out his name though.

      “What is it?” He asked, turning to face the worker.

      “Can you find Liu and tell him he needs to come in early tomorrow? I'm still working, so I can't. He's falling behind on his hours a bit.”

      “Sure...Where did he go?”

      “He went to one of the empty rooms in the back to change I think. Thanks for your help!”

      “Mhm. No problem.”

 

      With that, Joonmyun headed off to the rooms at the back of the floor. Henry perked up immediately once he saw the other boy heading off.

      “Wait! He'll be out in a sec!” He shouted after him, but it was too late for Joonmyun to hear. He then ran after the younger, not caring if he looked suspicious.

 

      Joonmyun checked the first room and found nothing. When he checked the second, however, he saw something he never would have expected to see. Liu had his shirt off and was about to put on another. The strange thing though, was he actually had an extra piece of clothing covering his upper chest, which looking at it now, was far more curved than a man's. Wait...It couldn't be...could it?

 

      Henry barged into the room a second later and shut the door behind him. He looked horrified as well as apologetic towards Liu.

      “Amber! Oh gosh...” He gasped.

      “I...Wait...What? What's going on?” Joonmyun fumbled out, looking between the two.

 

      Liu, or rather Amber, who'd been standing there the entire time in shock with her shirt held in front of her simply broke down laughing. After she finished, she pulled her shirt over her head and smiled at Henry.

      “Could you lock the door? I don't want anyone else coming in while I explain.”

      “Yeah...I'm sorry...” Henry mumbled, locking the door.

      “It's fine. This was bound to happen sometime. We should be thankful that it's Joonmyun. Heck, he probably hasn't even figured out what's going on yet.”

      “I...Er...What did I just do?”

      “You walked in on me changing.”

      “And why is that a problem?”

      “Well...I'm not a man.”

      “Er...Ok...I can see that, I guess...”

      “Joonmyun...I'm a woman,” Amber deadpanned. She had to force herself not to burst out laughing again when the boy's jaw dropped. This was definitely going to be one hell of a conversation.

      “You're...what? Are you serious!?”

      “Yes, I am,” Amber sighed.

      “I didn't think they still existed...” Joonmyun mumbled. Amber chuckled and shook her head.

      “They do actually, much closer than you would think. There's a whole society just like this one a day's travel away.”

      “Really!?”

      “Yep~ And it consists of all women, just like this one is all men. Kinda funny if you think about it.”

      “But then...Why are you here?” Joonmyun asked. Amber sighed sadly and Henry walked over to her side.

      “Well...My family unit and I were going on vacation outside the city walls...I got lost while we were camping...They just left without me...They're only a family unit after all...If the kid doesn't keep up with them...then that's what happens...They've probably raised a whole new kid by now.”

      “I'm sorry...”

      “Nah~ It's fine. I'm not bothered by it really. I came here after walking around lost for a day. When I realized this was the male society, I kinda hid myself and pretended to be a guy. All things considered, I get along here better than I did where I used to live. Still, I go there every now and then as a 'vacation' to get check ups from a doctor and stuff.”

      “So...is the reason you never slept with anyone because you're a girl?”

      “Yep~ Couldn't have it getting out, ya know? They'd get rid of me! But I trust you and I trust Henry.”

      “But you and Henry have slept together, yes?”

      “Mhm~ You should have seen him the first time! He was so innocent and confused! I had to explain to him how everything worked! I guess it's to be expected since he'd never seen a woman before though...”

 

      Henry puffed his cheeks out and Joonmyun saw his face take on a red hue. Was this that emotion, 'embarrassment,' that his book had talked about?

      “Anyways, Joonmyun, could you not tell anyone? It would make things a lot easier for me,” Amber asked, looking at him with hopeful eyes.

      “Of course! I wouldn't want you to get kicked out of here...But...What are you two going to do now? Are you going to go your separate ways?”

      “No. I'm staying with her,” Henry said quietly. Joonmyun's eyes widened. “She's pregnant...” Joonmyun's jaw dropped at that.

      “Pregnant!?” He gasped.

      “Yep...About 6 weeks now.”

      “But then...What will you do about birthing? And will you really be able to stay with her for that long? The others will be bound to notice and question your reasons!”

      “I'm not leaving her...She doesn't have anyone else here to rely on...She needs me...I know it sounds crazy and you probably can't understand...but I want to be with her.” A smile then broke out on Joonmyun's face and he shook his head.

      “I completely understand actually. I feel the same way, I think...About Sehun, though...But I don't think he realizes...and I'm scared of what he might think if I ever tell him...” The other two smiled at him, feeling a lot more relaxed than before.

      “Well, just keep getting to know him,” Amber stated. “None of us were raised with the idea of staying with just one person...So you can't expect him to just change overnight. I mean, even now, it seems like a tedious, annoying thing to be tied down to someone...but I need the help...And Henry's pretty cute...so I don't think I'll mind staying with him~ So long as he's willing to stay with me, ya know? Sehun could turn out to be the same way!”

      “Maybe...I doubt it though,” Joonmyun sighed. The other two were silent, not having much else to say. He walked towards the door and unlocked it. “Are we done here? It might seem weird if we don't go back out soon. Oh! Amber, er, Liu...You need to come in early tomorrow to make up some hours.”

      “Gotcha~”

      “Oh...And congratulations,” Joonmyun said gently, pointing to Amber's stomach. She just smiled and nodded.

 

      Joonmyun made his way back to the main room, where he proceeded to head for the elevator. A hand landed on his shoulder and he turned to face Sehun. He smiled warmly at the boy.

      “You staying over tonight?” He asked softly. The younger nodded and the two made their way into the elevator and back to Joonmyun's house.

 

      The night went on the same as always. When it came time to have sex though, Joonmyun did something different. He prepared himself, but when Sehun grabbed his hips, he rolled out of the boy's grasp and laid on his back on the bed. Sehun then glared down at him.

      “What are you doing?” He asked.

      “I want to ask you about something...before we have sex...”

      “What?”

      “Why are you always clothed?”

      “It's none of your business,” Sehun growled.

      “But I want it to be. We've been sleeping together for almost a month now. Don't you think you can tell me? You know I'm not someone who will judge you...” Sehun stared down at Joonmyun and ran his fingers softly along the older's stomach. After a moment of silence, he spoke up.

      “What about you? You're 21. Why don't you have a scar already? No baby yet? Most people start birthing when they're 18. Aren't you just as odd?” The older chuckled and smiled at him.

      “The reason for that is pretty simple. My womb is very fertile, but my body is weak. Childbirth would have been fatal when I was 18. The doctors told me to wait and see if my body would get stronger. It has...but they still don't want me to give birth until I'm 22.”

      “Hmm,” Sehun hummed, his fingers still tracing the soft skin of Joonmyun's stomach. “Then you'll have disgusting scars marring your beautiful, soft skin.”

      “I don't think they'll be that bad...”

      “They'll be hideous...” Sehun muttered, his stare turning into a harsh glare. Joonmyun's heart fell a bit, but he smiled nonetheless.

      “It's what I'm meant to do in life though. It'll be worth it.”

      “Maybe for you...”

 

      Sehun stood up off the bed and slid his pants off entirely. Next, He slid his shirt off. When he sat down on the bed again, Joonmyun got a good look at the boy's body for the first time. There was a long scar down his stomach. Joonmyun's eyes widened and he sat up, reaching for it and running his fingers along it gently. Sehun grabbed his wrist though and pulled his hand away. The younger's grip was painfully strong and Joonmyun whimpered in pain. Still, the younger didn't let go.

      “Dont...touch it...” Sehun growled.

      “A-Alright...I won't...But...What happened? Why did you have a baby?”

      “It was when I was 16,” Sehun said darkly, his grip only tightening on Joonmyun's wrist. The older had given up on protesting, so he just tried to ignore the pain. “I was beginning my training as part of the birthing class...I was raped...”

      “There are laws against that...Just because we can sleep with whoever we want, doesn't mean we can be forced. There has to be consent...”

      “Don't you think I know that!?” Sehun snapped. “I exposed the guy after it happened and he was severely punished...but it didn't change the fact that I still got pregnant. I wasn't on any of my pills yet since I hadn't been sexually active before then. My womb wasn't the best, but it wasn't infertile either.”

      “So then...what about the baby? Was it born alright? Were you ok during the childbirth?”

      “I was fine...The baby though...” Sehun paused and scoffed. “The baby was born weak. They said they'd keep an eye on it...but who knows whether it lived or not! Maybe it's somewhere living a pitiful, weak existence.”

      “I don't think it's pitiful. I was born weak and am still weak...But you don't think I'm pitiful, do you?”

      “Not really...”

      “Then I don't think you need to feel that way about the baby either. I'm sure it's growing up well and will become a great contribution to society someday.” Sehun slowly relaxed and his grip on Joonmyun's wrist loosened.

      “You have a strange way of comforting someone, you know that?” The older boy laughed.

      “Perhaps...Shall we have sex now though? We've talked enough for tonight, I think.”

      “Yeah.”

      “But can we do it facing each other this time? I won't touch your scar, I promise. I just prefer my sex this way...”

      “I suppose. We've humored me up until now. It's only fair. So long as you keep your word.”

      “I will. I promise.”

 

      With that, Joonmyun spread his legs and Sehun nestled in between them. He aligned himself at Joonmyun's entrance and pushed in shortly after. The older boy's body arched and a moan flowed from his mouth. He made sure not to arch far enough to meet with Sehun's stomach though.

 

      Once the younger was fully inside him and the older boy had calmed down a little more, the latter's back flattened against the bed again. He pressed his thighs against Sehun's body, savoring the feeling of having something in between his legs. He really did prefer it this way. He could see Sehun's face this way as well.

 

      Sehun slid his length out, only to thrust it in slowly again. Another moan reverberated through Joonmyun's upper body. Sehun's eyes were hooded with pleasure and each thrust had his face contorting slightly with ecstasy. It was definitely one of the best things Joonmyun had seen.

 

      Sehun's thrusts became harder and faster as he went on. Joonmyun gripped onto the younger's shoulders, digging his nails into them, but not deep enough to leave any marks. He couldn't take his eyes off of Sehun's face. He'd never felt this strongly about someone while having sex. He was honestly more enthralled with Sehun than he was with the pleasure. Of course, it still felt amazing. Sehun was definitely good at sex.

 

      When the younger began ramming into Joonmyun's prostate, an area he'd become quite good at finding, the older boy let out a high sound that was a mix between a moan and a scream. He was definitely becoming more sensitive to Sehun's movements. The younger boy just smirked, a beautiful, albeit teasing sight to Joonmyun, and continued his barrage on the gland. Joonmyun pressed his thighs tightly against the boy, trying to brace himself amidst the overwhelming sensation.

 

      It came as no surprise that Joonmyun was approaching his limit. He hadn't been sleeping with anyone other than Sehun, and while they were sleeping together often, it was still less than he was used to. Not to mention the low grunts and moans that came from the younger boy with each thrust just drove Joonmyun even more insane.

 

      With a few more hard thrusts from Sehun, Joonmyun came, releasing over his and Sehun's stomach. Sehun thrust a few more times before cumming within Joonmyun. The older loved the feeling of being filled by Sehun. No other person had ever made him feel this way. He wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was the influence of the book. It certainly made him think more. Joonmyun had a feeling he would still have felt this way, even if he hadn't read that old book though. There was just something about Sehun that drew Joonmyun in.

 

      The younger boy pulled out, not in the mood for any more, and laid down on the bed. It had been a long day at work and Sehun had just told something very personal to Joonmyun, so the older couldn't blame him. Instead, he rolled on his stomach next to the other and watched as Sehun slowly drifted off to sleep.

 

      When the boy was snoring softly, Joonmyun scooted closer to him, playing with his hair once more. Running his fingers through the younger's hair had become a sort of ritual for him. He wanted to do something more this time though. He'd read about something else in the old book recently, something that was even more significant than hugging. _Kissing_.

 

      It consisted of the strange action of putting your lips against another person, whether it be on their lips, another part of the face, or even the hand, neck, or chest. A kiss on the lips seemed to be the most common, romantic action. While Joonmyun was still new to the whole concept of romance, he longed to try it someday. It was far too risky to kiss Sehun's lips right now though, so he would have to settle for somewhere else.

 

      He propped himself up a bit on his elbows, wincing slightly when he put a weight on his now-bruising wrist that Sehun had crushed earlier, and leaned over a bit. His lips connected softly with Sehun's temple. Joonmyun let his lips linger there for a few seconds before pulling away.

 

      He ran his fingers over his lips, slightly dazed, and could feel his face heat up and his heart race. It was an exhilarating feeling and he wanted to kiss Sehun so much more than just this. For now, he would leave it at one kiss though. Maybe someday he would even be able to kiss Sehun's lips.

 

      He laid back down on his stomach and sighed, smiling softly while looking at the boy. He was beginning to wish there was such a thing as love in their society. He really wanted to be in love with Sehun. He wanted Sehun to love him back. He knew it wasn't possible though. All he could do was dream. Dream and continue to learn about this thing called love.


	4. Chapter 4

      Three days went by after the night Joonmyun succeeded in getting Sehun to talk to him. His wrist was actually bruised from the boy's grip. It was a bit startling and scary for him to think that Sehun could actually hurt him so easily, but he knew the boy wouldn't do it without good reason. Or so he hoped anyways.

 

      Sehun seemed to regret the action though. Since he worked across from Joonmyun, he could see whenever the older winced as he moved his wrist while packaging. Sometimes, the younger would even reach over and take some of his products and package them himself. The older couldn't help but smile at the act.

 

      When it came time to take a break, Joonmyun found himself feeling exhausted. He'd actually been much more tired as of late. He didn't think much of it though. He was probably just going to bed too late since he would read each night.

 

      He sat down in a chair and tried to rub the tiredness out of his eyes, wincing as pain shot through his wrist. Suddenly, a hand pulled his injured wrist away from his face and rotated it a bit. Joonmyun glanced up to see Sehun analyzing the bruise, touching it softly here and there.

      “I must have had a really strong grip on you...” He mumbled.

      “Yeah...but I was the one who brought it on myself,” Joonmyun sighed back.

      “No. You didn't. You didn't know any better at the time...I'm sorry...Does it hurt?”

      “It's fine. It hurts a little, but I'll heal.”

      “Do you want me to help you with your work?”

      “Mm...No. I can handle that. But there is something you could do to make it up to me.”  
      “What's that?”

      “Stay at my place tonight,” Joonmyun whispered. Sehun smiled a bit and scoffed at him.

      “If that could even be considered compensation.”

      “Oh, it can be. I assure you of that~”

      “Alright then. I have to stop by my home first, but I'll be there.”

      “Sounds great. See you then.”

 

      The break soon ended and they were back to work. Sehun still seemed to take some of Joonmyun's products and package them for him. Joonmyun knew there wasn't a special meaning behind it, but it still made him feel happy and pampered.

 

      When they were done with work, Sehun and Joonmyun headed back to their homes together. They split apart after they got off the train though so Sehun could go home. Apparently he had some cleaning he'd planned to do and couldn't put off any longer. Joonmyun had to wonder how the other boy's house looked. Sehun seemed like the tidy type, so the other could hardly imagine his house being a mess. Anything was possible though, he supposed.

 

      Joonmyun entered his own house and glanced around. He had a bit of tidying to do himself. He cleaned the dishes in the sink and ran a load of laundry. After, he folded it and put it away. By then, he was starting to feel tired again. Maybe he was worn out from work. He didn't normally feel this tired though, and if anything, he had an easier time that day.

 

      He was pulled out of his worries by a loud knock on the door. He jumped a bit before making his way to the door. The knocking continued, growing stronger as time went on. Sehun hadn't ever arrived at his house without him, but he wouldn't have expected him to be this aggressive with knocking. He gulped and opened the door nervously.

 

      He wasn't greeted by Sehun, unfortunately. It was actually the worker he'd slept with before he'd started sleeping with Sehun. It had been so long that Joonmyun had actually forgotten completely about him. Well, his recent infatuation with Sehun didn't help his memory either. He looked at the man with confusion, hiding partially behind his door.

      “Um...Can I help you?”

      “You never slept with me, you know?”

      “I...What?”

      “That day I was going to go with you but Sehun interrupted...I was figuring you would sleep with me a few days later...but that didn't happen.”

      “I never said I would sleep with you...” Joonmyun said, trying not to let his nerves affect him. This man was acting strangely, coming all the way to his house just to talk about something Joonmyun never promised.

      “You never got the chance to answer me, but we slept together before...so there shouldn't be a problem this time either, right?”

      “I don't want to sleep with you again,” Joonmyun said firmly, trying to close the door a little bit. The man grabbed it with his hand though and held it in place.

      “Surely you can't mean that, right? You've just forgotten because you've been sleeping with Sehun.”

      “I haven't...Frankly, sex with you sucked. Sehun is a lot better than you.”

      “What was that?” The man growled, pushing the door open. Joonmyun whimpered, trying in vain to push back. “Don't you dare compare me to that little punk!”

 

      He pushed the door the rest of the way open and Joonmyun stumbled back. He regained his balance before he fell thankfully, but the man was closing in on him. Joonmyun backed away, but was met with his kitchen counter. The man grabbed both his wrists, not sparing his injured one any consideration.

      “I'm not asking a lot from you...Just a bit of your time...”

      “I said no! I have someone coming over so if you would please leave...” Joonmyun said, trying to push the man away and towards the door. It only fueled his rage though.

      “It's that Oh Sehun boy, isn't it? What does he have that I don't? You've blown me off for him for a month now!”

      “He's a lot more considerate and doesn't barge into my home for one thing!” Joonmyun snapped. Seconds later he felt a hand slap across his face, leaving it red and stinging. “He doesn't hurt me either...He talks to me and treats me well...He takes my own pleasure into consideration...He's better than you'll ever be!”

 

      Joonmyun hardly registered what happened next. The man pushed him downwards, throwing him against one of the lower cabinets in his kitchen. His head connected with one of the harsh edges. Pain shot through his entire head and everything went blurry momentarily. When he glanced up at the man, he had his hand raised in the air, ready to strike. Joonmyun flinched, waiting for the blow.

 

      It never came though. He looked up again to see the man struggling to remove his wrist from another person's grasp. It was Sehun. Joonmyun had never felt so relieved in his life. The younger boy yanked on the man, turning him around to face him. Despite being substantially younger than the man, Sehun was much taller and more menacing.

      “You know there's a law against forcing someone to sleep with you against their will. It can get you locked away for life...And if you come near him or try and force your way on him one more time, I swear both of us won't hesitate to exploit it. You could kiss your freedom and your sex goodbye. Now go! Before I beat you to a pulp...”

 

      The man growled at Sehun. He tore his wrist out of the younger's grip and headed out the door, slamming it behind him. Joonmyun sighed and rested against the cabinet. The younger boy had said 'both of us.' It had a nice ring to it, although he knew Sehun didn't mean it in the same sense that Joonmyun did. Sehun walked over to him and knelt beside him. He felt the younger gently inspect his head. He was startled when the boy cursed under his breath.

      “What is it?” Joonmyun asked.

      “You're bleeding...That bastard...Why did this happen?”

      “I don't know...he showed up suddenly...He was pounding on my door...He asked to sleep with me but I said no...so he pushed his way inside...”

      “That's idiotic of him...But why wouldn't you sleep with him?”

      “Because I was planning to sleep with you...and you're much better at sex...I don't need two men in a row either.”

      “I don't honestly know if you can handle one man right now...”

      “I can!” Joonmyun gasped. “You said you'd make it up to me...”

      “I know but...I don't want to hurt you further...”

      “You won't! It's a simple wound, really! Just let me lay on my back for tonight...You can be gentle with me, can't you?”

 

      Sehun sighed and nodded his head. He picked Joonmyun up, bridal-style, causing the latter to squeak. After, he headed to the bedroom, laying Joonmyun down on the bed gently. He began taking the boy's clothes off, treating him as delicately as he possibly could. Joonmyun couldn't have felt happier.

 

      He hadn't expected Sehun to actually begin stretching him though. He wasn't even aware the boy had grabbed the lube, let alone put it on his fingers. The next thing he knew, a finger had entered him, slowly and gently stretching his hole.

 

      Joonmyun broke down into a series of moans. It felt so much better to have the younger boy prepare him. Even though he didn't know Joonmyun's body overly well, he was still managing to please him. The older boy hardly even realized the boy had inserted more fingers. He was far too caught up in the feeling of Sehun touching him.

 

      Sehun pulled his fingers out and stripped his own garments off. Joonmyun's heart fluttered. The boy was still feeling comfortable enough to show his body to him. It wasn't just a one-time only occasion. The younger returned, hovering over him. Joonmyun ran his hands up and down the younger boy's own, muscular ones.

 

      Without any other words being said, Sehun pushed gently into Joonmyun. The older arched as he felt the familiar warmth entering him. His stomach lightly brushed against Sehun's own, and both boys jumped a bit. Sehun didn't hurt him though, like he was expecting. Instead, he resumed his actions, thrusting gently in and out of Joonmyun.

 

      The older boy moaned and let the younger have his way with him. Sehun seemed to be trying not to shake him too much. Joonmyun appreciated it too, because he could already feel a bump forming on his head. Sehun really was the best. He might have seemed cold and stuck-up, but he was really gentle deep down.

 

      His thrusts did gain more power as he went on, but he made sure to hold Joonmyun still so his head wouldn't be jolted. He seemed to be working with extra precision as well, hammering the older boy's sweet spot with amazing accuracy.

 

      Joonmyun allowed himself to be lost in the other boy's actions. No other man he'd ever slept with had made him feel quite this way. Sure, some had been very good at sex and had treated him well, but none of them were like Sehun. He could see himself staying with Sehun for years to come. He knew that couldn't be though and that that sort of thinking would get him locked up as a madman. He could only savor this while it lasted.

 

      Sehun continued to abuse his prostate, getting rougher and more erratic as he went on. Joonmyun didn't mind at all though. He squeezed his legs against Sehun's body, adoring the feeling of the younger pressed firmly between them. After a few more rough thrusts, Joonmyun found his high, cumming all over the younger's stomach. Sehun continued to thrust, grunting and letting out a low moan as he released within the older boy.

 

      He pulled out and went to clean off his stomach. Seconds later, he came back and laid beside Joonmyun. He ran his fingers over the boy's wound once more and sighed.

      “Are you really gonna be ok? Should we take you to a doctor?”

      “No. I'll be fine, I promise~” Joonmyun turned on his side so he was facing the boy and smiled.

      “If you say so...Let me know if it hurts or if you start feeling dizzy, ok?”

      “Mk,” the older sighed. “Thank you for saving me earlier...”

      “Of course...Nobody would leave you in a situation like that...” Joonmyun laughed a little bit. There was a peaceful silence between the two before the older spoke up again.

      “You know...I've always wondered some things about you...”

      “Like what?”

      “You never answered me when I asked how often you slept with people. I told you about me...fess up!” Sehun chuckled a little and shook his head.

      “Something as simple as that? I sleep around about the same as you...I'm average. What, did you think I was some superhuman who was in high demand?”

      “Maybe...” Joonmyun mumbled. The younger just laughed a bit harder. “So when was the last time you slept with someone? I mean, besides me...”

      “Does that matter? Mm...I think it was the day before yesterday?” Joonmyun's heart clenched a bit. Of course he was sleeping with other people. It was natural, so why did it hurt so much?

      “I see...”

      “What about you?”

      “Mm...Secret~”

      “What!?”

      “You played secrets with me! Now I'm playing it with you!”

      “So when will I find out?”

      “Well...maybe if you sleep with me again someday...”

      “You're ridiculous...” Sehun sighed. Joonmyun laughed.

      “There was something else I wanted to know though...”

      “What's that?”

      “Why did you come up to me? I mean...I'm not super impressive or anything...so why? Did my hair color make that much of a difference?” Sehun laughed yet again and shook his head.

      “No. It's nothing like that, although your hair is nice. I'd been eyeing you for a while. You have a nice body...and I'm glad I slept with you. You're pretty good at sex yourself, you know. Every subtle movement your body makes just adds to the overall feeling, you know?”

      “If you say so...”

      “Why are you asking such strange questions?”

      “I dunno...Cuz I'm strange?”

      “You sure you didn't hit your head too hard?”

      “Positive,” Joonmyun answered flatly.

      “Alright, alright. If you say so...”

 

      They continued to talk quietly amongst each other until they both drifted into a slumber. Joonmyun had forgotten he'd never eaten dinner, but it didn't matter. He wasn't overly hungry as of late anyways. He nestled close to Sehun, not affectionately so, but enough to feel the boy's warmth. He wouldn't mind falling asleep like this all the time.

 

~*~

      A week passed and Joonmyun was beginning to worry. He was still feeling absolutely exhausted. His appetite would come and go and he was throwing up a lot as well. He took a few days off of work, thinking it might just be a stomach bug. It didn't seem that way though.

 

      He looked in various databases for what the symptoms could be. He tried a couple medications for stomach illnesses, but nothing worked. Finally, he tried the last thing he could possibly think, the last thing he wanted to resort to, a pregnancy test.

 

      He'd meant to stop having so much sex, he really had. He'd wanted to see when his cycle came and then try to plan around it, but he just couldn't get enough of Sehun. He'd slept with the boy several times since he'd stopped taking his pills. It wouldn't be a surprise to him if he were pregnant, but he didn't want to be. He wasn't supposed to be, and that alone could get him in trouble. It would complicate things with Sehun too. The younger would probably despise him for doing something so stupid.

 

      Joonmyun sat on his toilet and waited for the test to finish. He didn't want Sehun to leave him, but he wouldn't be able to hide something like pregnancy forever. It was already almost time for Sehun to move on anyways. This might just make the boy leave him for good. Maybe if he told Sehun how he felt, the younger would stay. There was no way. Absolutely no way. Still, Joonmyun wanted to be with him. He wanted to be supported by the younger boy, like how Henry was supporting Amber. Maybe that wouldn't be too much to ask. Perhaps Sehun liked him enough to considerate it.

 

      Joonmyun glanced down at the stick in his hand and groaned. The result was back finally. It was positive. He was pregnant.


	5. Chapter 5

      Joonmyun took 3 more pregnancy tests over the following days. Still, the result was the same. He had indeed gotten pregnant, and the only one he'd been sleeping with for the past month was Sehun, so there was no doubt it was his child. Not that that mattered. The semen contributor never knew that they'd in fact produced a baby with someone. Everything was up to the pregnant man and their doctor.

 

      Joonmyun didn't want to tell his doctor though. If he did, he would have to explain why he stopped taking his pills, and he didn't even know the answer to that himself. It was just something he'd felt like doing. He decided he would first tell Amber and Henry. He could trust them and possibly even get advice from them. After that, perhaps he would tell Sehun. He wasn't sure. It wasn't really any of Sehun's business knowing, but Joonmyun foolishly wanted it to be.

 

      He tried to keep himself calm as he headed to work. His nausea was acting up that day and the nerves didn't help anything either. He had to cover his mouth, close his eyes, and continuously swallow in order to not throw up on the train. The instant he got to work, he went to the bathroom and emptied his stomach into the toilet. So much for breakfast.

 

      When he'd finished, he shakily got to his feet. He washed his mouth out before leaving. He scanned the room for Amber and Henry. When he spotted them, he raced over immediately and tugged them away from what they were doing. They questioned his actions, but he remained silent.

 

      He pulled them into the same room they'd been in the other day when Amber had told her story. He locked the door behind him and sighed. After a few calming breaths, he walked to the center of the floor and sat down, groaning and holding his head in his hands. Amber and Henry immediately rushed over to him and knelt in front of him.

      “What's wrong? Are you ok!?” Henry asked.

      “You have to promise not to tell anyone what I'm about to tell you...” Joonmyun mumbled.

      “You can trust us, Joonmyun,” Amber said softly. “If we can trust you, then you can trust us, ok?”

      “I'm pregnant...” He deadpanned. An uncomfortable silence overcame the room.

      “You're what?” Henry finally asked, his eyes widening.

      “I'm pregnant...”

      “Did you go see a doctor to confirm it?” Amber asked, suddenly serious.

      “Not yet...but I've taken 4 pregnancy tests and they were all positive...And I've been feeling really tired and nauseous...The first thing I did when I got here was throw up...and it's been that way for a couple of weeks now...I don't think it's a stomach bug...”

      “Then it sounds like you really are...But you still need to see a doctor!” Amber chided. Joonmyun flinched a bit, but eventually nodded. Henry was the next to speak up.

      “Aren't you...not supposed to have a baby for another year? Wasn't there something wrong with your body? You told me something about it once...”

      “I was really weak when I was 18, so they wanted me to wait until I was 22 to start...”

      “But you're a year early...Why?” Amber asked.

      “Did you run out of your pills and forget to get more? Amber ran out on vacation and that's why she got pregnant...”

      “No...I purposely stopped taking them...”

      “Why!?” The couple asked in unison.

      “I don't know...Because I hated them! I didn't want to take them anymore. I was going to start monitoring my cycle and do it the old-fashioned way, but I slept with Sehun too much...”

      “Sehun? You're sure it's him?”

      “He was the only one I was sleeping with...I stopped sleeping with everyone else...”

      “Joonmyun...” Amber started cautiously. “Does this have anything to do with Henry and I becoming a sort of duo? You know that's not normal...You shouldn't mimic our behavior-”

      “No...I wasn't even on the pills when you two told me about yourselves...It has nothing to do with you two...I just...I want Sehun...I want him so much it hurts...I've been changing so much since I met him and I'm scaring myself...I don't know what to do...He's going to leave me though...There's no way he'll stay...He's not like me and you...He's normal...”

      “Joonmyun, you need to calm down, ok?” Amber soothed. “Right now, your hormones are probably going crazy. It happens with pregnancy. But stressing is not good for you or the baby, so take deep breaths and try to stay calm. Now, as for Sehun, the only thing you can really do is talk to him. Tell him how you feel...Maybe he'll support you...You never know...”

      “Maybe...”

      “But! I don't want you to get your hopes up either. Go into the conversation prepared to be rejected, ok?”

      “K...” Joonmyun mumbled nervously.

      “Good. Now...How are you feeling? Dizzy? Nauseous?” Amber asked gently.

      “Both...”

      “Take it easy at work today, ok?” Henry said, patting the boy on the shoulder. “If you need to rest, then do so. That's what Amber does. Pushing yourself isn't gonna be good for you or the baby, you hear me?”

      “A-Alright...”

      “Well, I think that's really all we can say right now. You're gonna have to deal with Sehun and go to the doctor on your own...We're here for you though...whenever you need us,” Amber stated.

      “Yeah...”

      “We should probably go back to work now,” Henry sighed. The two got up to leave the room when Joonmyun spoke up again.

      “Thank you...both of you...”

      “Of course! You can always count on us, ok?” Amber said happily. “Hang in there, Joonmyun.”

 

      He nodded, lost in thought. Even after the other two had left, he stayed in the room, completely dazed. Finally, he shook himself and stood up. He had to pause and let the wave of nausea pass before moving again, but eventually, he returned to the assembly line.

 

      Sehun noticed the boy was working slower than usual that day. He would take some of Joonmyun's products and package them himself in order to keep the line moving smoothly. The older would smile at him and thank him each time. The younger could tell the boy was extra pale and exhausted.

 

      When a break came about, Joonmyun collapsed in a chair, holding his head and taking deep breaths. Why did it have to be especially bad this day? He felt a hand on his shoulder and glanced up to see Sehun staring down at him. Perfect.

      “Are you ok?” The younger asked.

      “Yeah...Just feeling a little under the weather...” Joonmyun sighed.

      “Then you should have stayed home.”

      “I already missed a few days. Plus...I had something I had to tell Liu and Henry...and you...”

      “Oh? What's that?”

      “I...Can you come over tonight? It'd be more appropriate to tell you there...”

      “I...guess...I had plans but...”

      “Then nevermind. We can do it another day...”

      “No. This seems like something serious. I'll cancel.”

      “Ok...If you're willing to...”

 

      That was all that was said when they were at work. When the day finished, Sehun silently joined Joonmyun's side, heading with the boy to the elevator and the rest of the way to his house. When they got inside, Joonmyun groaned and went to his living room. He was horrified about what was going to happen.

 

      He sat down on the couch and fiddled with his fingers. Sehun awkwardly followed him and sat beside him. There was a long pause before anything was said. It was the younger who spoke up first.

      “What was it you had to tell me?”

      “It's...It's hard to explain...”

      “Well...Take your time if you have to I guess...Not much else I can say...”

      “You might...get really angry with me...”

      “Just spill it. No use dragging it out then,” Sehun said sharply, his patience growing thin with Joonmyun's waffling. The latter took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

      “I'm pregnant...” He whispered.

 

      He heard the younger boy scoff and tears formed in his eyes. He was thankful they were still shut. He couldn't even fathom looking at his face as he laughed.

      “Why does that matter to me? How the fuck did you even get pregnant? Aren't you on your pills?”

      “I just...I...I stopped taking them...” Joonmyun choked out, finally opening his eyes. Sehun laughed coldly.

      “Why? Did you WANT to disobey your doctor?”

      “No...It's not that...I just...I hated taking them...So I stopped...”

      “That was dumb of you...I still don't see why you're telling me any of this though. Is it because I've been through this shit before?”

      “No! It's not that at all,” the older whimpered.

      “THEN WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU TELLING ME!? Why should I care? Are you trying to make me responsible!? Are you going to fuck with my life or something!?”

      “NO! It's not that at all!” Joonmyun cried, tears dripping down his cheeks finally.

      “Then what?”

      “I just...I want you to be with me...”

      “I don't even understand what you mean by that! I'm not a doctor! What good am I? You don't need me. And I won't be tied down by you either! You got that!? Were you always this crazy? Where the hell did these ideas in your head come from?”

      “I don't know...I just...I was reading something and I liked it so...”

      “Reading something!? What the hell were you reading that left you this crazy?”

      “I...I-It's this...” Joonmyun mumbled, pulling the book out of it's hiding place under the couch.

 

      Sehun snatched the book from his hands and scanned through some of the pages. His eyes widened and he immediately threw it into the fireplace. Joonmyun gasped and got up to grab it, but Sehun yanked him away. He pressed the button on the wall that turned on the flames and watched as the book caught fire. Joonmyun screamed and cried. He never even got to finish the book he'd grown so fond of. Sehun threw him back on the couch and glared at him.

      “Get the fuck over it! That book was forbidden! You should be thankful I'm doing this and not going to report you! Shape up! You're a disgrace to humanity!”

 

      Joonmyun could say nothing, too far into a hysterical fit to formulate words. He still heard everything Sehun was saying though. Each word pierced him like a knife. The younger still had more to say too.

      “Get yourself to the doctor. If you're wise, you'll leave all details about the book and how much it's fucked with your mind out of the conversation. The doctor will take care of you then.” He gave a short, malicious laugh. “You know what they'll do? They'll treat you like a disgrace! I know! I've been there! This is the kind of thing you wanted from me, right? To talk about my life and experience? Well, they'll lock you up in the hospital to monitor you and make sure you're going through the pregnancy healthily. Each day, they'll look down upon you and treat you like a freak of nature! All because you're pregnant when you shouldn't be! That's the reality of your life. Not some stupid fantasy with me! So get the fuck out of the clouds and do what you have to do. And don't even THINK about contacting me.”

 

      The younger walked away. Joonmyun vaguely heard the door slam, but nothing was really registering. His head ached and he felt like throwing up again. He knew it would be bad telling Sehun, but he'd never expected the boy to be that cold. He didn't even bother to go to his bed. Instead, he curled up on the couch and watched the last bits of the book burn away, crying himself to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

      Joonmyun woke up exhausted both physically and emotionally. Any person in their right mind would have stayed home from work that day, but he needed to talk to Amber and Henry. He needed them.

 

      He dragged himself to the kitchen and made a small breakfast. He wasn't able to stomach most of it, but he knew he needed to eat. He had a baby inside him now and he had to take care of it. After his futile attempt to eat, he placed the dishes in the sink to clean later, got dressed, and headed for work.

 

      The train ride seemed to flash by. Joonmyun was completely lost in his own world. The events of the night before seemed to be on constant replay in his mind. He couldn't get the harsh expression Sehun had given him nor the cold words he'd said out of his head. He really shouldn't have told him.

 

      When he got to work, he glanced at his place in the assembly line. He was surprised to see that Henry was in the spot that Sehun once occupied. The younger boy must have asked to move. Joonmyun couldn't blame him. After all, he'd wanted nothing to do with him.

 

      When he'd clocked in, he headed for his spot. The instant Henry made eye contact with him, he left his position and came around to Joonmyun's side. He grabbed the boy's wrist and lead him back to the same room as always. They should just turn it into their personal conference room.

 

      When they got inside, Amber was already there. She took one look at Joonmyun before running over to him and cupping his face in her hands and inspecting him nervously. Did he really look that bad?

      “He didn't take it well, did he?” Henry asked softly. Joonmyun shook his head and tears flowed down his cheeks. How did he still have tears to cry?

      “It's gonna be ok. Alright? Henry and I are here. We'll help you,” Amber soothed.

 

      The next thing she knew, Joonmyun had wrapped his arms around her and pressed his forehead into her shoulder, shaking as he cried softly. She didn't know how to react at first, so she glanced at Henry, who could only shrug. Eventually, she wrapped her own hands around Joonmyun, which seemed to help sooth the boy.

      “You need to stop crying, ok? I told you stress isn't good for the baby...Just calm down and tell us what happened. Ok? Take it easy.”

 

      They waited for the boy to calm down before sitting together on the floor. Joonmyun seemed too exhausted to stand for a long period of time. Eventually, the boy took a deep shaky breath and looked at the other two. With a small, sad smile, he spoke up.

      “He got really mad...He said I was trying to make him responsible...He yelled at me...And he told me to go to the doctor...”

      “Right...We told you to do that too...” Amber said quietly.

      “He said they'd lock me up...that they'd treat me like a freak...that I was a disgrace to humanity...”

      “Ok...THAT'S exaggerated,” Henry said irritably.

      “It's not though...” Joonmyun whispered. “I can't explain why...but what Sehun says is the truth...”

      “So then...what are you going to do?” Amber asked. “You have no idea how far along you are or if the baby's healthy or anything...Or if you're actually pregnant, though I'm not doubting you at this point...”

      “I'll live on my own...Take care of it on my own...That's how things work in this society after all, right? It's up to me and the doctor...and I'm gonna put seeing him off as long as I can...so that means it's just me...”

      “I don't think that's wise, Joonmyun,” Henry warned. “You, of all people, really need to see a doctor...”

      “I know...But this is my choice...It's my body...”

      “It's your baby's now too, though,” Amber stated. “Don't forget about the baby...They have a right to be healthy and taken care of...”

      “I won't forget. If something goes wrong, I'll definitely get myself to a doctor...but for right now...I think I really need to be alone...To come back to reality...you know?”

      “I guess...” Amber sighed.

      “We're still gonna watch your back though,” Henry stated. “You need someone...”

      “Do I?” Joonmyun asked under his breath. Amber heard, but she said nothing. Henry was too far away to hear.

 

      Joonmyun sighed and got to his feet, wobbling a bit as nausea got to him. He wasn't sure if he was hungry from not eating much or nauseous from eating something at all. He walked to the door and opened it, lifelessly leaving the room. Amber and Henry exchanged looks.

      “Look after him,” Amber whispered.

      “Yeah...I'm glad Sehun asked me to switch places with him...”

 

      For the rest of the day, Joonmyun was like an empty shell. He worked in silence, not making eye contact with anyone. When the day was over, he simply nodded goodbye to Henry and got on the elevator to go home alone. He didn't see Sehun at all.

 

~*~

      Two weeks went by in this fashion. Joonmyun was still suffering from morning sickness, throwing up at least once each day. Still, he tried to hold his head as high as he could. Working wasn't so bad. Henry was a great help and Joonmyun wouldn't have been able to keep up if the older boy didn't help him. Amber was constantly offering her support as well.

 

      The hardest part was going home each night. He was used to going home with Sehun at least twice a week, but now he was always alone. Sehun had burned his book as well, and nothing at his home entertained him as much as the book had. Most of the time, he just went home to eat, throw up, and sit on the couch, waiting for the night to be over. Joonmyun had never felt so empty and alone before.

 

That was reality though. Joonmyun was completely alone. The closest thing he had to someone was his baby, who would leave him too once it was was born. Then he would truly be alone. He used to be fine with being alone though. It wasn't until that book came into his life that he really started to think about these things. As much as he loved that book, he hated it. He never should have read it.

 

      Joonmyun was staring off into space, laying on his couch. He hugged a pillow to his chest, missing the feeling of having Sehun there instead. Sure, he'd only hugged the boy secretly and quickly when the latter was sleeping, but that was still a lot more fulfilling than hugging air. He was just beginning to doze off when a loud banging noise resounded through the house.

 

He jumped and sat up, his heart immediately beginning to race. It was coming from the other side of the door. He'd heard that banging before. It was dangerous last time, but Sehun had come to protect him. This time, the other boy wasn't there to help him. There was no way Joonmyun was going to open the door.

 

      He tried to lower himself back on the couch and ignore it. He was trembling and inches away from crying out in fear, but he didn't want to give the assailant any reason to believe he was inside. The lights in his house were very dim, so it never looked like anyone was home anyways.

 

      The banging on the door grew more violent though. Soon it sounded like someone was kicking the door, perhaps even throwing their entire weight against it. He got to his feet, truly scared that they were going to break down his door. He couldn't think of anything he'd done wrong to warrant this, unless Sehun had reported him for reading the book, but the enforcement committee didn't normally take aggressive measures when taking people in. Most of the time, people were summoned to them, and only when they didn't appear did the committee resort to violence.

 

      He took a few steps backwards and looked for something he could use as a weapon. Eventually, he grabbed one of the tools used to stoke the fire in the fireplace, and held it up, trembling. He could hear the old wood of his door cracking now. Whoever was trying to get in was definitely determined. Most people would have given up by now.

 

      Finally, the wood gave out and came crashing to the ground. Joonmyun peaked around the corner to see who was at the entrance. His eyes widened when he saw the person come through. Soon, a chilling voice reached his ears.

      “Why didn't you let me in, Joonmyun?” It was the man from last time, the one who had hurt him.

 

      Joonmyun waited as the man searched around his kitchen for him. He didn't think he would be able to take the man down, but he could at least hit him and try to get away. Where he would go, he didn't know, but anywhere was better than here.

 

      When the man was within hitting range, Joonmyun lashed out at him. Unfortunately, the man caught the tool and easily yanked it from the boy's hands. He smiled, looking almost deranged, and grabbed the boy's wrist, pulling him closer. Joonmyun tried to get away, but the man's grip on him was much stronger.

      “There you are...I was beginning to think you weren't home...”

      “What do you want?” Joonmyun hissed.

      “I wanted to see you again...I wanted to be with you...”

      “I already told you I don't want to be with you. Now get out! You've already caused me enough trouble by breaking down my door!”

      “Come now...You don't mean that anymore...You were always just saying that because you had Sehun...but Sehun moved on...You can have me again...”

      “I don't WANT you!” Joonmyun shouted.

      “Why!? What's stopping you now? Are you with Henry now? He's your new work partner...”

      “No! It has nothing to do with him! I'm not with ANYONE right now! And I don't want to be! I want to be alone!” That was a complete lie, but telling the truth to this man would only put him in a more complicated situation.

      “But why? You could have me...I'm not that bad to you...I could be great to you...I won't leave you, like Sehun did...”

      “No!” Joonmyun shouted. Finally, he shook his wrist free of the man and pushed him away. “You hurt me last time when you didn't get your way...And here you are now, forcing yourself on me...You won't make me happy...There's no way...Now leave, or I'll call the enforcement committee...”

      “Why...? Why can't you just be with me?” The man asked, taking a step closer. Joonmyun backed away in turn.

      “Stay away...”

      “Does Sehun still have that much of an effect on you?”

      “It has nothing to do with him!”

      “No...It has to be something with him...You didn't ignore me until he came into the picture...”

      “I never liked you! Get that through your head!” The man glared and raised his hand to strike. Joonmyun backed away and flinched. “Don't touch me! I'm pregnant!”

 

      He regretted saying that as soon as it left his mouth. The man's face contorted with anger and he stepped towards him menacingly. Joonmyun was running out of room to back up. He was so horrified he could feel bile rising. He didn't need any of this right now.

      “You're pregnant...? You aren't supposed to be pregnant though...Why...?”

      “Stay. Back!” Joonmyun hissed, enunciating each word. “Don't you dare come near me...”

      “Is it his? It has to be...It's Oh Sehun's child...isn't it?”

      “It's MY child...Get away!”

      “No...It's his...It's that wretch's! WHY? Why did you let him get you pregnant!? Why wasn't it me!?”  
      “Get away...” Joonmyun whimpered, tears falling down his cheeks. His back was against the wall now.

      “ANSWER ME!!!” The man shouted, stomping towards him.

 

      Joonmyun gasped and cowered to the ground, covering his stomach with his arms and tucking himself close to his knees. All he could do was brace himself for the blow.


	7. Chapter 7

      Sehun sighed as he stood on the train, waiting to get off at the next stop. He'd stayed late at work that day since he'd gotten behind. He'd been thinking too much, so he hadn't been able to concentrate on his work. He didn't like to admit it to himself, but the person he'd been thinking about was none other than the boy he'd torn apart two weeks before.

 

      He hadn't meant to be as cruel as he had been to the older boy. He'd just been thrown off guard by the absurd things he was saying. He didn't regret his decision to leave the boy in the slightest, but he did regret what he'd said to the boy. He'd vented all the angers and fears of his past on him. Nobody deserved that sort of burden.

 

      It was too late to apologize though, and Sehun didn't think it was necessary to in the first place. He would just have to move on and act like he'd never met Joonmyun. He'd done it so many times before with the other people he'd slept with. Why was it so hard this time? Was it because the boy shocked him more than any of his other encounters? That had to be the case.

 

      Sehun was so busy grueling over his thoughts, it surprised him when the door to the train opened in front of him. He quickly got out before it closed again and took a deep breath. He really needed to pay attention to what was going on around him.

 

      He started walking away from the station and towards his home. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't keep himself from thinking about Joonmyun. When he looked up, he realized he was even heading towards his house. He had gotten used to going there it seemed. He groaned and rubbed his eyes. This needed to stop.

 

      He couldn't deny he was slightly worried for the boy. After all, he was supposedly pregnant when he shouldn't be. That in and of itself could get him into trouble. Not only that, but the reason he wasn't supposed to get pregnant was a medical reason. The boy really needed to see a doctor, if nothing else. Sehun had to wonder if he would even do that at this point. It meant exposing everything.

 

      He finally settled on going by the older boy's house to check on him. It was on his way home anyway. He wouldn't go in or even make his presence known though. He just wanted to see if the older was home and well. Then, he figured he would be more at ease and be able to move on.

 

      He walked the short distance left to Joonmyun's house. When he arrived, he was surprised to see the door had been broken down. That didn't bode well. Had the boy been found out? The enforcement committee didn't usually resort to this method unless they were forced to though. He cautiously stepped closer to the house. That was when he heard the boy's voice.

      “Don't touch me! I'm pregnant!”

 

      His eyes went wide. He could tell the older boy was absolutely horrified. But who was he shouting to? Sehun doubted it was the enforcement committee. That was when another voice, one he'd only heard a couple times and hated, flooded his ears.

      “You're pregnant...? You aren't supposed to be pregnant though...Why...?”

 

      It was that man, the one who had attacked Joonmyun before. Why had he come back? Was he really stupid enough to think that he would get away with this? Soon, the other boy spoke up again.

      “Stay. Back! Don't you dare come near me...”

 

      Sehun's heart started to race. Why was he getting so unsettled by this? Those words sounded so painfully familiar to him. He then realized why. They were the very words he shouted before his mentor had raped him. He began shaking, the memories replaying in his head.

      “Is it his? It has to be...It's Oh Sehun's child...isn't it?”

      “It's MY child...Get away!”

 

      Sehun was hardly phased when his name was mentioned, too wrapped up in his own world, but he was jolted out of his memories when he heard Joonmyun shout. The younger hadn't expected the boy to deny that it was his child. He didn't want any of that responsibility, of course, but Joonmyun seemed to have wanted to include him in it. It was strange to hear him deny that now. Had he already snapped out of his ridiculous thoughts?

      “No...It's his...It's that wretch's! WHY? Why did you let him get you pregnant!? Why wasn't it me!?”  
      “Get away...”

 

      Sehun could tell Joonmyun was in tears now. He'd learned well what the boy sounded like when he cried. How could this man still insist on being with Joonmyun if he'd driven him to this state? It was obvious he was upsetting the other boy.

      “ANSWER ME!!!”

 

      Sehun heard loud footsteps and he realized the man was going to attack Joonmyun. That was all it took for him to charge into the house. When he got inside, Joonmyun was crouched in the corner, curled up so that his stomach was protected. The man looked enraged, stomping towards him. Sehun charged at him and pushed him away before he could hit Joonmyun. The man turned and glared at him.

      “You...How dare you show up here...He's MINE!!!”

      “He doesn't belong to anyone,” Sehun stated flatly. At the sound of the younger's voice, Joonmyun looked up at him, eyes wide. The man growled.

      “You won't take him...you've already ruined him enough...”

 

      He charged at Sehun. The younger boy grabbed both his arms and tried to push him away again, but the man overpowered him, sending him against the wall. The man then turned to Joonmyun.

      “I'll get rid of it...You shouldn't have to deal with it...”

      “No...Stop...” Joonmyun whispered.

 

      The man walked to him and raised his foot, aiming for his stomach and preparing to strike down on the boy. Joonmyun closed his eyes and wrapped his hands even more tightly around his stomach. He heard foot connect with body, but didn't feel any sort of pain. He looked up again to see Sehun above him, eyes shut tightly as he received kick after kick to his back.

      “Sehun...” Joonmyun whispered. The younger opened an eye to look down at him. After, he reached into his pocket then handed something to the older boy.

      “The enforcement committee is the first number on speed dial...Call them and get them out here...I'll keep him away until then.”

      “A-Alright...” The older muttered, staring down at the phone.

 

      Sehun nodded at him, then pushed the man backwards the next time he saw an opening. The man quickly stammered back to his feet and charged at Sehun. The younger boy dodged the man then pushed him further into the house, away from Joonmyun. At the same time, the other boy called the enforcement committee. They stated they would be there within minutes. Joonmyun had to wonder just how close they really were. Nobody really knew or thought about it much.

 

      Soon enough, a team of men barged through the doorway and swarmed inside. One man knelt beside Joonmyun to check his status while the others went to break up the fight. Joonmyun saw Sehun back away and immediately stop fighting when the other men arrived. The crazed man tried to charge at him, but he was seized and held firmly by the enforcement committee men. The man near Joonmyun looked at him sternly.

      “What's the situation here?”

      “I...W-What?” Joonmyun fumbled. He heard a sigh in the background and saw another body walk over to them.

      “He's shaken about what happened, so I wouldn't ask him about it,” Sehun stated. “He probably won't be able to tell you.”

      “Then would you like to explain?” The committee man asked, standing up to face Sehun. Joonmyun glanced up at him and noticed parts of his face were red and starting to swell and his lip was busted.

      “Yes,” Sehun answered. “This man has been hassling Joonmyun and trying to force himself on him for a while now. I can testify to this because I work with the both of them. In addition, he tried to attack Joonmyun one of the nights we had decided to sleep together.”

      “I see...But why are you here this time? Were you supposed to sleep with Joonmyun again? Could it be you he has a grudge against?”

      “No. I was on my way home, which is nearby here, and I heard the tail end of their argument. He does have a grudge against me, but not for any good reason. That's not why he attacked Joonmyun either. He simply wanted him all to himself and was angry that Joonmyun said no.”

      “I see...Why didn't you report the first attack?”

      “We threatened him, but let him go in hopes he would learn. It seems that wasn't the case.”

      “I understand...He's quite a fool. Will the both of you be ok? You seem to have taken physical damage and this man has received damage to his property,” the committee member stated, motioning to Joonmyun.

      “I'll be fine. The property can be fixed as well. I just ask that this man be taken away.”

      “Understood. The property will be fixed soon, free of charge,” the man stated. “And put your mind at ease. This man will be locked away where he can't get to either of you and can reflect on his actions.”

      “Thank you,” Sehun said, bowing a bit.

 

      The man nodded and signaled the other members out of the house. The crazed man tried in vain to break free, spewing incoherent insults and spitting at Sehun's feet. The younger boy just scoffed at him and watched the group leave. After a good 5 minutes of silence and having made sure the committee had left, the younger boy turned and stared down at the older, who was still a dazed mess. He opened his mouth to say something, but Joonmyun surprisingly beat him to it.

      “Thank you...” He whispered.

      “I didn't do it for you. And I don't want to talk to you either.”

      “Why are you here?” Joonmyun asked, seeming to not have heard Sehun's last statement. There were no implications in the question. It was just a simple, honest one.

      “Didn't you hear me? I was on my way home.”

      “But you don't take this route, do you...? I've never seen you walk by before...Isn't there another one you usually take?”

      “I happened to take this one today! Does it honestly matter!?”

      “Why did you stop him...?” Joonmyun asked, ignoring Sehun again. “You could have just kept walking...”

      “You honestly think I would do that in this situation? I'm not heartless! Besides...I wouldn't want anyone to be forced against their will. Nobody deserves that hell...”

 

      Joonmyun said nothing, but nodded slowly. The last sentence had made his heart clench, knowing the meaning behind it. Still, he was so shocked he could hardly register anything, let alone come up with thoughts and replies.

 

      He did realize that Sehun had saved him though, and it wasn't helping his mental state at all. He knew the younger didn't do it for him. He knew he didn't care for him. It still made his heart flutter though. He really needed to get over these feelings, but the younger just made it so hard.

      “This is what happens when you get possessive,” Sehun spoke up suddenly. “So leave all those crazy notions behind you. Take this as a lesson.”

      “I won't become like that...” Joonmyun said quietly. Sehun scoffed and raised his eyebrow.

      “Is that so?” He mused. “What makes you so sure?”

      “I would never hurt you...”

      “Hmm?” Sehun hummed, still sounding amused. “Then if I asked you to leave and never come back, would you do it?”

      “...Yes...” Joonmyun whispered. Sehun nodded.

      “I seriously doubt that...” He paused for a moment before speaking again. “Why don't you prove it? Let's see if you can stick to your word.”

 

      Sehun wasn't even sure what he was saying. He had no feelings for the boy whatsoever. He didn't plan to develop them either. It was mostly just to prove his point, to prove to Joonmyun that feelings drove a person insane. He would be waiting for Joonmyun to go against his word, provoking him to break his promise. It was a cruel thing, but reality was cruel, and Sehun would teach him that.

 

      The older boy stared up at him, confused and innocent-looking. Sehun could tell he was trying to understand if he was being serious or sarcastic, so he decided to be clearer.

      “I'll let you stay with me...But don't expect me to pay any attention to you. You're trying to prove your feelings to me and I'm trying to prove my point to you. You'll do as I say and won't push the boundaries you're given. The instant you do, you're out. And when I decide it's been long enough and I throw you out, you WILL go, and you'll go without a fight. Got it?”

      “Are...you sure?” Joonmyun asked softly.

      “I am. You need a place to stay anyways until your door gets fixed. But like I said, don't treat this like I care about your or I'm willing to understand you.”

      “Then...I can be with you?” Joonmyun asked, a hint of hope in his voice. Sehun groaned and glared at the boy.

      “Yes!” He enunciated irritably. Joonmyun looked up at him happily.

      “Thank you...”

      “Don't thank me... Did you not hear a word I said?”

      “I heard...but still...Thank you...”

      “We'll see how long you keep saying that...Now come on. I'm leaving. If you don't come now, the deal is off.”

      “Ok!” Joonmyun gasped, quickly getting to his feet.

 

      That wasn't the right decision however, as a dizzying wave of nausea overcame him and he immediately covered his mouth with his hands.

      “Wait a second!” He insisted before rushing into the bathroom.

 

      Sehun sighed and walked out of the house. When Joonmyun had finished throwing up, he weakly walked out of the bathroom. He panicked when he didn't see the younger boy anymore and rushed out of his house to find him. He caught sight of him heading up the street and he rushed to catch up with him. Sehun didn't even turn to look at him.

 

      The younger boy's home was surprisingly close to Joonmyun's, only about 10 minutes away. When they got inside, Sehun ignored him completely, heading to his kitchen. Joonmyun glanced around the house, noting that it was similar to his, but slightly bigger. As he walked into the living room, Sehun called after him.

      “My bedroom is off-limits.”

 

      Joonmyun turned to him and nodded blankly. He sat down on the couch, taking in the new scenery. He wasn't even sure how he ended up there. He had never expected Sehun to show up again, let alone protect him. It was even stranger to him that the boy was willing to house him. He must have been completely pitiful in the boy's eyes. Maybe he really was. He was certainly an enigma. Even he stopped trying to understand himself. Yet he wanted Sehun to try to? Maybe he was being too demanding.

 

      He sighed, his head aching from crying, vomiting, and too much thinking. He laid on the couch and stared up at the ceiling. He rubbed his hand on his stomach, sighing in relief. Even if Sehun hadn't meant anything by it, he was grateful he'd helped him. He couldn't imagine what he would have done had the man actually hurt him or tried to kill the baby. He'd already gotten attached to it, even if it was still almost nonexistent. Even if he had to go through the pregnancy completely alone, he would do it.

 

      Sehun walked into the living room about 15 minutes later. He had been stalling by cleaning the kitchen, not wanting to talk to the boy in the slightest. He found the older passed out on the couch. He couldn't blame him really. He'd gone through a lot of stress earlier and being pregnant didn't help things. If he was actually pregnant, that is. Sehun still had his doubts about that as well. After all, seeing what lengths that man had gone to in order to get Joonmyun to himself, he wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Joonmyun was also trying to manipulate him. He didn't seem like that type, but Sehun wasn't going to trust him. He wasn't going to give the boy what he wanted.

 

      Sehun walked back to the kitchen and made himself food. Joonmyun seemed to be out cold and he didn't want to bother waking him to get something to eat. He wasn't responsible for the boy's health or eating habits. He would talk to him about the rules of the house in the morning. He finished his dinner and went to his room, not sparing the other boy even a glance.


	8. Chapter 8

      Joonmyun woke up the following morning on the couch with a stiff neck and a growling stomach. He glanced around, taking in the scenery, and realized that it wasn't his house. He thought back to everything that happened yesterday and his eyes went wide. He'd gone home with Sehun. He was actually in the boy's house.

 

      He got to his feet, a bit surprised at how dizzy he felt. He hadn't eaten anything though, so that was probably why. He glanced into the kitchen and contemplated getting himself some food. He ultimately decided not to though, out of fear that the younger boy would get angry with him.

 

      He heard a door open and he glanced over at the source of the sound. Sehun stepped out of the room and walked into the kitchen, ignoring the older boy completely. Joonmyun followed him awkwardly, trying to muster up the courage to talk to him. To his surprise, Sehun was the first to speak.

      “You're allowed to use the food in the kitchen to feed yourself. I'm not going to be so inhumane as to deny you food. But you'll be paying me for the extra groceries.”

      “A-Alright...”

      “My room is completely off-limits. You have to knock and wait for me to come out if you wish to talk to me about something.”

      “O-Ok...Any reason why?”

      “I don't want you in my personal space. Simple as that.”

      “I understand...”

      “You'll go to work at a different time than me, either earlier or later. I don't want this living arrangement to carry into the office.”

      “Alright. Anything else?”

      “That should be it. Try not to touch my stuff too much, and anything you break will be replaced at your own expense.”

      “Of course. I'm not irresponsible.”

      “I beg to differ,” Sehun said coldly. Joonmyun sighed and glanced around the kitchen.

      “Would it be ok to get breakfast now? I didn't eat last night and I'm really hungry...”

      “Sure. Help yourself. Don't expect me to make it for you.”

      “No, that's fine. I know how to make my own food. I don't need you to pamper me...Just be with me...”

      “Well, I don't plan to do either.”

 

      Joonmyun just sighed and began scavenging around the kitchen. Eventually, he made himself breakfast and sat down at the table. Sehun joined shortly after, though he made sure not to look at him the entire time.

 

      Joonmyun had to wonder if the boy was just being stubborn and immature or if he genuinely hated him that much. It was probably the latter option, but Joonmyun wanted to think it was the first. He had a better chance at fixing that. Still, Sehun seemed pretty adamant about not wanting to cave into Joonmyun's wishes. He was even being hostile towards him. Joonmyun wasn't about to give up though. If Sehun had given him the opportunity to prove himself, he was going to do his best.

 

      Sehun got up from the table first. He went to his room and changed into work clothes and tidied himself up. When he came out, Joonmyun's eyes widened as he realized something. He'd left his clothes at his house. He'd have to go back in order to change.

      “I'm heading to work now.”

      “Alright...I have to stop by my house again to grab some clothes...I'll be in a little later.”

      “Whatever. I don't care what you do.”

      “Yeah, I know,” Joonmyun sighed. Sehun had already made himself perfectly clear before. He didn't need to reiterate it to this extent.

 

      Sehun walked towards the door and opened it. As he was about to head out, he heard the older boy call out to him.

      “Take care. I'll see you later...”

 

      Sehun rolled his eyes and walked out, not saying anything back to the boy. When the door was shut, Joonmyun sighed and sat down on the couch, rubbing his eyes. Why was everything always so hard? He was pretty sure he didn't need all this stress. There was no way it was good for the pregnancy.

 

      He let out one more sigh before leaving the house and heading back to his own. When he got there, the door was still broken and splayed across the floor. He went to his room and grabbed a set of clothes to change into. He then grabbed a bag and stuffed a few more sets in there. After, he made to leave his house, but yet another wave of nausea overcame him.

 

      He rushed to the bathroom and got to the toilet just in time to spill his guts into it. When he'd finished, he groaned. He was getting so tired of throwing up. He couldn't wait until he passed the first trimester and the morning sickness went away. He groggily got to his feet and washed his mouth out. After, he grabbed his bag and left his house.

 

      When he arrived at work, he was instantly bombarded by Amber and Henry. They took him back to the usual room and sat him down. He glanced at them, slightly confused, until finally Amber spoke up.

      “You never come into work this late...What happened? Are you ok?”

      “Huh? Uh...Yeah...I just...had to make an extra stop...”

      “Extra stop? Where?” Henry asked.

      “Um...My house...”

      “What do you mean? Don't you live at your house?”

      “I...Last night, my house was attacked...The door was broken down...So I'm not staying there until it gets fixed...”

      “Attacked!? Are you ok!? What happened? Did the person get caught?”

      “I'm fine...And they were caught...I don't...really know what happened...I know I was screaming, but the next thing I knew...Sehun was there...” Amber's eyes went wide.

      “Sehun? Why was he there?”

      “I don't know...He said he was on his way home...He lives near me...”

      “So did he protect you?” Henry asked.

      “Yeah...And he took me to his place after that...but since then, he's been really cold and distant...I can't blame him really...But he's giving me a chance at least...”

      “Joonmyun...” Amber muttered. “I want you to be careful, alright? Don't let your heart get too into this...”

      “I won't. Believe me, he's not leading me on at all. If anything, he's just housing me until my door gets fixed...I know nothing's probably going to come from it...”

      “Alright...I'm glad he was there though...”

      “Yeah. Me too...” Joonmyun mumbled, rubbing his hand on his stomach. “The guy who attacked me found out I was pregnant...he was trying to hit my stomach...”

 

      Amber and Henry looked at him with concern, but didn't say anything. Eventually, Amber put her hand over Joonmyun's own one on his stomach and smiled.

      “It's good that you weren't hurt...” She said gently. She paused for a moment before changing the subject. “Joonmyun, you're going to need to go to the doctor soon...You can't go through this whole thing without one...Even I'm seeing a doctor I trust. I have to travel a bit, but I still see her.”

      “I know...Just...not yet...” He whispered. Amber sighed at the boy.

      “Alright...”

      “But Amber...I have a question...How did you get by with not having to have a baby thus far?”

      “Well, I forged my biological documentation...so to this society, I have high sperm count...So I was never on the list to get pregnant...so in a sense, I'm not supposed to be pregnant either...So I'm kinda in big trouble just like you,” she said, laughing a bit at the end.

      “I see...It's good you have a doctor willing to take care of you despite all that though,” Joonmyun said quietly.

      “You do too,” Amber stated. “You're scared for no reason. They'll probably just switch your birthing schedule around a bit and monitor you a bit more closely than normal.”

      “Maybe...”

      “You don't need to be afraid of the doctor, ok?” Henry encouraged. Joonmyun just nodded blankly.

 

      The conversation seemed to end there. After nothing was said for a while longer, Amber got to her feet. Henry helped Joonmyun to his feet. The latter staggered a bit and had to hold on to the other boy for a moment. Both Amber and Henry gave him concerned looks, but he just waved them off.

      “I'm ok. Just got a little dizzy. Don't worry, ok?”

      “If you say so...” Amber sighed.

 

      Joonmyun nodded and left the room first. Amber moved closer to Henry and tugged on his arm. He glanced down at her.

      “Keep an eye on him, ok? Don't let him work too hard...He's having a much harder time than I am...”

      “I won't. I can guarantee that.”

 

      Amber smiled and nodded at him. The two left the room together and headed back to their respective spots. For the rest of the day, Henry was constantly taking some of Joonmyun's products to package when the boy would get backed up. Joonmyun smiled at him apologetically each time, to which Henry would give an extra warm smile.

 

      When it was time to break for lunch, Joonmyun grabbed the factory provided lunchbox and sat down to eat. He was surprised when another figure stopped in front of him. He glanced up to see Sehun and gulped.

      “What is it?” He asked quietly.

      “This an extra key to my house. Make sure you lock up when you get home and take care of the place.”

      “O...k...Are you not coming back later?”

      “No. I'm seeing someone tonight.” Joonmyun's face immediately fell. Sehun rolled his eyes. “Just because you're abnormal doesn't mean I have to be. Anyways, that's all.”

 

      Before Joonmyun could say anything else, Sehun had left. The older boy sighed and glanced down at the key he'd been given. He would be alone again tonight, it seemed. The rest of the work day seemed to drag on. Joonmyun didn't want to go back to the foreign house all by himself, even if it was Sehun's, but he really had no choice.

 

      His nausea started getting worse towards the end of the day and finally Henry forced him to clock out early, saying he'd finish the rest of the work. Joonmyun felt bad, but he was honestly grateful. He didn't think he'd be able to handle all of it. He wasn't even sure he'd be able to get to Sehun's house at this rate.

 

      He made his way out of the factory and hopped onto the train. As he sat, he contemplated various things. He was going to have to start making his work hours shorter. He just wasn't keeping up these days, and the last thing he wanted to do was push himself. Not only that, but he would have to do something to pay Sehun back for letting him stay. Of course, he was going to pay the boy for groceries, but he wanted to do more.

 

      When he reached the boy's home, he let himself in and locked the door behind him. He glanced around the place and noticed that it was rather unkempt. Joonmyun was surprised, since Sehun seemed like the type of person to be neat and meticulous. He walked around the house, gathering the strewn about laundry to wash later.

 

      When he'd accomplished that, he began tidying the place up in general. He knew Sehun had said not to touch his stuff, but he figured if he didn't move it too much and didn't break any of it, the younger wouldn't mind. As he finished tidying the living room, his nausea finally got the better of him and he ran to the bathroom to throw up yet again.

 

      Once he'd finished, he sighed and shakily got to his feet. He went to the kitchen and scavenged for some food that would be gentle on his stomach. He wound up having a small dinner, scared to eat a lot and throw it up later. Having run out of energy from the long day, he curled up on the couch, falling asleep almost instantly.

 

~*~

      As Sehun was clocking out from work, a hand landed on his shoulder. He turned and smiled at the shorter person beside him.

      “Hey, Baekhyun,” he said.

      “Hey! Ready to go~?” The boy almost sang. Sehun said nothing and nodded. After that, the two headed out of the factory, to the other boy's house.

 

      Sehun had been sleeping with Baekhyun for a while now. He'd started about halfway through the time he'd been sleeping with Joonmyun. It was getting to be time to move on from Baekhyun as well, but he wasn't as stressful to deal with as Joonmyun, so Sehun didn't mind sleeping with him for just a bit longer.

 

      Throughout the entire night, Sehun didn't spare Joonmyun a single thought. He was far more wrapped up in Baekhyun. The boy was normal, unlike Joonmyun. He didn't make strange demands like wanting to face him while they had sex. He didn't ask Sehun to stay beside him or anything like that. In fact, they hardly said anything to each other. Their relationship was mostly physical, but that was how it should be.

 

      Sehun couldn't help but miss talking to Joonmyun though. Had the boy not been psychotic, the two of them could have been acquaintances. They could have talked about the things that Sehun had learned from his reading. Sehun wouldn't have even minded sleeping with Joonmyun again a year later if he really wanted to have his baby that badly. Something about staying with Joonmyun permanently horrified him though. Sehun didn't think it would be possible for him to feel that connected to other boy, ever.

 

      He sighed and closed his eyes. He could feel Baekhyun sleeping beside him. This was the way it should be. He would move on from Baekhyun in a week or two and find someone else. Joonmyun would go home once his door was fixed and Sehun would yet again ignore him. He would live his life the way he was supposed to. He wouldn't go against society. Not again.

 

      That night, he fell into a restless slumber, trying in vain not to think of the boy he'd left alone at his house.


	9. Chapter 9

      Sehun didn't bother to return to his house before heading to work. He left early from Baekhyun's house and grabbed some breakfast along the way. He would have to leave work early to go shopping for groceries, so he wanted to go in as early as possible to make up the time.

 

      He was surprised when he saw Joonmyun come into work much later than he normally did. The boy looked pale and tired. Sehun could only figure that he was feeling ill. He didn't think much more of it and continued to work.

 

      The rest of the work day was pretty uneventful. Sehun finished early as he'd planned and made his way to the elevator. He was surprised to see Joonmyun there, waiting for it as well. He grimaced a bit and walked up to the boy. The older glanced at him, but said nothing.

 

      They continued in silence all the way until the train station, at which point Sehun finally spoke up.

      “You're getting off of work awfully early for someone who arrived late.”

      “I arranged for shorter hours...I don't feel well enough to get through a full day...”

      “That so? Too bad for you,” Sehun said coldly.

      “How about you? Why are you leaving so early?”

      “I have to buy more food since someone started staying with me,” Sehun answered irritably. “I came in early though, so I didn't slack off on my hours.”

      “I see...” Joonmyun mumbled. “Can I help you with the groceries?”

      “If you have to,” Sehun sighed.

 

      The train arrived and the two boarded it. Joonmyun found a seat and sat down. He was surprised when Sehun sat right next to him. As expected though, the younger didn't talk to him. Joonmyun was too tired to try talking to the boy as well. He hadn't slept well the night before since the couch wasn't really comfortable, and his nausea had been fairly constant that day.

 

      As the train ride went on, Sehun noticed Joonmyun groan and rest his head in his hands. He raised an eyebrow, cocking his head a bit to try and look at the boy. That was when Joonmyun placed one of his hands over his mouth. The younger then realized what was happening.

      “Feeling nauseous?” He asked. Joonmyun said nothing, but hummed in response.

 

      Sehun just nodded and looked forward again. He couldn't remember a time where he'd been this nauseous when he was pregnant. Joonmyun must be having a rougher time than he had. Either that, or he was trying to get attention, but Sehun doubted it was that. There were certain things you couldn't fake, and looking this pale and tired was one of them.

 

      They arrived at their stop soon enough and Sehun got up quickly. Joonmyun slowly got up after him, following along. The younger unconsciously slowed his pace down, looking over his shoulder to make sure the older got out of the train and was walking alright. He didn't think of it as him being considerate of the other boy in particular. He was just looking after an ill person.

 

      Joonmyun caught up to him and smiled weakly. After, they headed to the store for groceries. Sehun was surprised that the older boy was keeping up so well. He could still tell the boy wasn't feeling that great, but he didn't complain. As they were getting ready to pay for groceries, Joonmyun handed his credit card to the cashier. Sehun glanced at him, wide-eyed, and Joonmyun just smiled.

      “I said I would pay, didn't I?”

      “But still...You didn't have to buy all of it...”

      “It's fine.”

 

      Their conversation ended there. The two grabbed the groceries and headed home. When they got inside, Sehun glanced around, noting how the place seemed surprisingly organized compared to when he had left. Joonmyun headed into the kitchen and began putting groceries away.

      “Did you clean up?” Sehun asked, heading into the kitchen as well.

      “Just a little bit,” Joonmyun answered tiredly. “There was dirty laundry everywhere, so I went ahead and gathered what wasn't in your room. I didn't clean in there, obviously. The clean laundry is folded up on the couch. You can take it to your room later. I also dusted and organized a bit, but that's it...”

      “Nobody asked you to,” Sehun stated.

      “I know,” Joonmyun sighed. “I wanted to. Plus I didn't want to smell your dirty laundry when I went to bed.”

 

      He smiled cheekily at Sehun, who rolled his eyes, then started making supper. Sehun was surprised when the older pulled out two plates instead of one. They made dinner together, then ate in silence. After, Joonmyun stood up and placed his dishes in the sink. He then turned to the younger boy and spoke up.

      “Do you want me to do the dishes?”

      “No. I'll do them,” Sehun answered. “I don't see why you're being like this. Trying to get in my good graces?”

      “Not really. Just repaying you for letting me stay.”

      “If you say so...”

 

      The evening passed rather quickly after that. Sehun stayed in the kitchen and washed the dishes. Joonmyun had laid down on the couch and was resting. At one point, Sehun heard the door to the bathroom shut. He sighed, realizing Joonmyun was throwing up. He had to wonder just how bad the boy's morning sickness was. In the end though, it wasn't any of his business.

 

      He heard Joonmyun flop on the couch once more and he continued his work. When he finished, he turned the lights in the kitchen off and headed into the living room, on his way to his own room. As he reached the door, he heard Joonmyun tell him something softly.

      “Goodnight.”

 

      Sehun nodded very slightly, then shut the door behind him.

 

~*~

      For the next two weeks, they lived together in this fashion. Things were slowly starting to change though. Sehun was warming up to Joonmyun's gentle greetings and goodbyes, even returning them. Joonmyun always managed to keep his house clean and have meals prepared for him whenever he was home. Sehun honestly felt guilty whenever he didn't come home for them. As such, he'd stopped sleeping around as much, which was startling him. He tried not to think about it though.

 

      While Joonmyun looked after Sehun's house, the younger found himself involuntarily looking after the older boy. He would check on him secretly each morning to make sure he didn't look too ill. He would also keep a closer eye than he would like to admit on him during work. The older boy was starting to have an effect on him, and that was not good.

 

      Joonmyun had already gone home from work that day, and Sehun was left finishing up. Baekhyun walked by and ran his fingers along Sehun's shoulder. The boy really did have nice fingers. Sehun glanced over at him and Baekhyun began to run them along the younger's chest.

      “It's been a little while since we slept together. Wanna do it tonight?”

      “Maybe...We'll see,” Sehun replied, not very interested.

 

      Baekhyun hummed and removed his hand from the younger's chest. He walked away, leaving Sehun to his work. What the younger didn't know, was Baekhyun had lifted something from his shirt pocket.

 

      Baekhyun glanced down at the key in his hand. On it was a keychain that had the younger boy's address on it. He couldn't help but chuckle. Normally, one would take the address off, but the younger must have been too lazy. Either way, it helped Baekhyun at least.

 

      He got on the train and got off at the stop nearest to Sehun's house. He figured he'd surprise the younger. Most people didn't do these sorts of things, but Baekhyun was a bit on the extravagant side, so he couldn't help it.

 

      He wasn't expecting to open the door and see Joonmyun though. The older boy had started to greet him, but stopped mid-word when he noticed that it was Baekhyun and not Sehun. They stared at each other in silence for a while before finally, Baekhyun spoke up.

      “What are you doing in Sehun's house?”

      “I...could ask you the same thing...” Joonmyun said quietly.

      “I came to sleep with him. I don't know what you're here for.”

      “Oh...” Joonmyun mumbled.

 

      Had Sehun really invited Baekhyun over for that? The younger hadn't even invited him when they were sleeping together. Sure, things went sour between them towards the end, but he didn't think Sehun was on more comfortable terms with Baekhyun than he had been with him. Joonmyun didn't know what to think anymore though. Every time he thought he might be getting closer to Sehun, something happened that reminded him that the younger really didn't care about him.

      “You still haven't answered why you're here,” Baekhyun reminded him. Joonmyun looked up at him and gulped.

      “I...My door...broke...I'm...staying here...til it's fixed...” He managed to mutter. Baekhyun raised an eyebrow.

      “Sehun's never mentioned you. Are you two sleeping together?”

      “N-No...”

      “Hmm~ He must be housing you cuz he feels sorry for you then...He doesn't seem like the type to do nice things without some sort of motive.”

      “I-I see...”

 

      Baekhyun walked into the house, ignoring Joonmyun. He sat down at the table, looking a bit displeased. Joonmyun gulped and sat with him. He tried to offer Baekhyun something, but the other boy got irritated, saying the house wasn't his, so it wasn't his place to offer. Joonmyun had never wanted Sehun to come home more than he did now.

 

      Finally, after over an hour of uncomfortable silence, the door opened. Sehun walked in, not knowing what was in store for him. Joonmyun heard him start speaking and looked at him worriedly.

      “Joonmyun, I lost my key. I need my spare one back for a little whi-” He broke off when he saw Baekhyun sitting at the table looking at him irritably. “What are you doing here?” He asked.

      “I was going to surprise you,” Baekhyun sighed, holding Sehun's key in his hand. “But looks like the surprise is on me.”

      “What did you want?” Sehun asked, not really in the mood to deal with the situation.

      “You, I guess,” Baekhyun said, a hint of playfulness in his voice.

 

      Sehun simply sighed before going over to the table and grabbing Baekhyun's wrist. He lead the boy towards the door, trying his best to ignore Joonmyun's eyes, which were silently begging him not to go. In truth, Sehun didn't really want to either. Still, he closed the door behind him and headed away with the other boy.

 

~*~

      Sehun laid beside Baekhyun that night, staring at the ceiling. He didn't know what was going on with his thoughts as of late. Joonmyun must really be affecting him. He was the main thing Sehun thought of these days, even when he tried not to. He shook his head and glanced over at the other boy.

      “Baekhyun? You awake?”

      “Mmh,” the boy hummed.

      “I think...it's time we move on...”

      “Already, huh?” Baekhyun sighed. “Well, I guess it has been a little over a month...”

      “Yeah...”

      “Hey, Sehun...Can I ask you something?”

      “What?”

      “Is Joonmyun really just at your house because his door is broken?”

      “Yeah. Why would you even ask that?”

      “I was just curious...He seemed pretty happy when I opened the door. He probably thought I was you...”

      “We're just acquaintances,” Sehun stated simply.

      “Coulda fooled me...”

      “Why do you say that?”

      “Well, I can tell Joonmyun's pretty fond of you. Not sure you've slept with him yet, but if you haven't, you might want to, so he can get over it.” Sehun laughed bitterly. If only Baekhyun knew. “Even you seem fond of him though,” Baekhyun continued. “You're always looking for him in the factory, and I've seen you two leave together before...”

      “He lives near me and was recently attacked. Is it so wrong to look after him a bit?”

      “I guess not...It just seems like more than that to me...”

      “It's not,” Sehun affirmed.

      “Alright...That's good to know. I was a little worried...it's weird to be that attached to someone, don't you think?”

      “Of course it is,” Sehun stated, ignoring the weird feeling in his chest.

 

      He closed his eyes, trying to get some sleep. This needed to stop. Joonmyun's door should have been fixed by now. He didn't need to take care of him anymore. Joonmyun hadn't managed to convince him and he wanted the boy gone. It was time for things to go back to the way they should be.

 

~*~

      The following morning, Sehun made his way back to his house. When he got in, he found Joonmyun still sleeping on the couch. The boy was curled up in a strange position that couldn't have been comfortable. A small part of Sehun felt bad seeing the boy like that. He forced himself not to care though.

 

      He stomped over and shook Joonmyun. The older boy opened his eyes and looked up at him sleepily. When he realized it was Sehun looming over him, he gasped and sat up.

      “Sehun...I didn't think you were coming back this morning...”

      “It's time,” Sehun stated, not beating around the bush.

      “W-What?” Joonmyun asked.

      “It's time for you to leave.”

      “I don't...what?” Joonmyun asked softly, his eyes widening.

 

      Sehun growled and grabbed his wrist, dragging the boy off the couch. Joonmyun fumbled onto his feet then tried to fight against Sehun. It was in vain though. The younger was much stronger.

      “Wait! What's going on?” Joonmyun asked, fear apparent in his voice. Sehun turned to snap at the boy, but noticed he was looking fairly pale.

      “Have you been to the doctor recently?” He asked, surprisingly himself with the sudden concern. Joonmyun gulped and pulled back a little harder. “You haven't, have you?” Sehun asked.

      “N-No...”

      “Then you're going right now,” Sehun stated. Joonmyun panicked and tried to back away.

      “No! Not yet...Please!”

 

      Sehun just ignored him and dragged him to the door. He kicked his shoes on and when Joonmyun didn't put his on, he pulled the boy towards the door, in hopes it would prove to the boy that he would drag him barefoot if he had to. Joonmyun slipped into his shoes in defeat and Sehun yanked him out the door. The older boy was still putting up a fight outside, surprisingly.

      “What's going on?” He asked. Sehun realized he'd pretty much pulled the boy along without telling him anything, so he turned to the boy to explain.

      “It's time for you to leave. I want you gone.”

 

      That was all it took for Joonmyun to stop struggling entirely. Sehun faced forward before he could see the few tears that trailed down Joonmyun's cheeks. The younger continued to drag him to the hospital, meeting much less resistance than before.

 

      When they got there, Sehun checked in at the front desk, saying that Joonmyun needed to be tested for pregnancy and treated accordingly. The receptionist checked him in and Sehun pulled the boy to the waiting area. They sat beside each other, looking straight ahead. Sehun didn't want to look at Joonmyun, in fear that his will would break. He needed the boy gone. Having him around was becoming too much of a normal, pleasant thing. Joonmyun couldn't look at Sehun either. He knew this day would come, but he still felt betrayed.

 

      Finally, the doctor called for Joonmyun. He got up from his seat dejectedly and took a few steps forward. He glanced back long enough to notice that Sehun was still seated. He had no reason to go with Joonmyun after all. The older boy took a deep breath then walked away with the doctor.

 

      Once the older boy was out of sight, Sehun got to his feet, sighing. He didn't know if they would keep Joonmyun at the hospital or not, but either way, his job was done. He left the hospital and headed home, trying to ignore the numb feeling that had taken over his body.


	10. Chapter 10

      Joonmyun sat on the examination bed, his hands in his lap, gripping each other so tightly his knuckles were white. The doctor had taken blood to check his hCG levels. After, he'd left Joonmyun alone in the room. The boy was dreading when the doctor would walk back through the door.

 

      Every doctor in the hospital was qualified to deal with pregnancies since it was located in the birthing class. This was normally a good thing, since a person's regular doctor would continue to watch over them, rather than referring them to a specialist the patient had never met before. In this case though, Joonmyun was horrified. It would mean his doctor would be that much more disappointed in him.

 

      Far too soon for his comfort, the door opened and his doctor walked back in. The man pulled up a stool in front of him and sat down with a sigh. He looked into Joonmyun's eyes, causing the older immediately look down and break eye contact. Soon, the man spoke up, his voice surprisingly gentle.

      “Joonmyun...”

      “Y-Yes?” The boy responded. He heard the doctor take another deep breath before speaking again.

      “You're 8 weeks pregnant.”

      “8 weeks...?” Joonmyun whispered quietly. It had really been that long?

      “Mhm,” the doctor affirmed gently. “Can you tell me what happened? You weren't supposed to get pregnant for another year...and even then, we were going to do a checkup first just to make sure you were ok...”

 

      Joonmyun bit his lip. Sehun had told him to leave details about the book out of the conversation, and that was probably for the best. He glanced up at the doctor, wondering if he would buy any other excuse.

      “I...ran out of my contraceptives...and I didn't have time to get them replaced...” He heard the doctor sigh.

      “Alright...If you were really that busy, I suppose I can understand...” Joonmyun could tell from the sound of his voice that the doctor wasn't completely convinced. “But why did you put off coming to me for so long? You of all people should have come as soon as you had an inkling of suspicion that you were pregnant.”

      “I was scared...”

      “Scared? Why?”

      “Because...I'm pregnant when I'm not supposed to be...I thought you'd be angry at me...and treat me badly...even though I would deserve it...”

      “Joonmyun, I'm your doctor. My job is to make sure you're healthy. Why would you think I'd do something that would hurt you or upset you? The last thing you need right now is stress, and that's the last thing I want to cause you. You have a baby now, so you've got to think about them too, ok?”

      “O-Ok...” Joonmyun stuttered out. The doctor nodded and grabbed some nearby documents.

      “Now...You're a tad underweight, so you need to try and eat a bit more, alright? But make sure you're eating healthy foods. I'm going to want to see you here every 2 weeks since this is a high risk pregnancy, you understand? Your body is still pretty weak, and now you're supporting 2 people. I don't want anything to go wrong. Honestly, it would be best if you stayed here and were hospitalized for entirety of the pregnanc-”

      “NO!” Joonmyun shouted, surprising himself.

 

~*~

      Sehun glanced up at the sky as he made his way home. There were dark, gray clouds looming over the city. It was probably going to rain later. He'd always liked the rain though, so he didn't mind. The weather was the least of his troubles after all.

 

      He was already feeling guilty for leaving Joonmyun. The older boy was horrified, and that was probably Sehun's fault too. After all, he'd vented his own fears and frustrations of how the doctors had treated him in the past to the boy. Joonmyun's case was much more different than his though. Sehun shook his head and forced all thoughts of the boy out. He was trying to get things back to the way they were. That meant no thoughts about Joonmyun whatsoever.

 

      He got home and groaned, rubbing his eyes. He'd had far too eventful of a morning already. He went to his kitchen, and as if on cue, his stomach growled. He then realized that he'd pushed Joonmyun out the door without either of them eating. More feelings of guilt swelled up in his stomach and suddenly, eating wasn't so enticing. Why was his every thought revolving around Joonmyun now? He didn't want this to happen.

 

      He left the kitchen and glanced around the room. His house was tidier than it had ever been before. The older boy had really been helping him out. Sehun had never been much of a tidy person. He shook his head and laid down on the couch.

 

      He cursed and adjusted his back, rolling onto his side. No matter how he laid, he was always uncomfortable. How did Joonmyun even sleep on this thing each night? Sehun stopped squirming and sighed, looking down at the ground.

 

      He already missed Joonmyun. He'd never missed anyone like this before. It honestly scared him. He just couldn't get the other boy out of his head. There was no way he could go back to how he was before. Joonmyun had really gotten to him.

 

      He didn't think he felt the same way about Joonmyun as the latter did for him though, not in the slightest. He had just gotten used to the boy being in his life. There was no serious attachment to the latter. He wanted him around, but he didn't want the boy all to himself.

 

      A loud crack of thunder sounded from outside, causing Sehun to jump. He glanced out the window and saw rain beginning to pour. He wondered how things were going at the hospital. If Joonmyun was allowed to leave, he wouldn't have an umbrella.

 

      He groaned and ruffled his hair before getting off the couch. He walked over to the door and put his shoes on. He grabbed his umbrella, which he kept leaning by the wall near the door, and headed out of the house.

 

~*~

      “P-Please don't make me stay here,” Joonmyun begged. “I don't want to be stuck here...”

      “Calm down, Joonmyun. I'm not going to make you stay here, ok?” The doctor soothed. “It would be safest for you, but you're old enough to decide for yourself. I am going to ask that you come here if you feel something is wrong though, alright? Pushing yourself is dangerous. And if it becomes necessary to keep you here, I will, ok? I'm not trying to scare you. I'm just trying to help you.”

      “O-Ok...” Joonmyun muttered in defeat.

      “Good. Now, I'm going to do a quick physical examination, then I think we're more or less done for today. I'm going to adjust your birthing schedule as well since you started a bit early. It shouldn't be anything big though. Shall we get started then?”

      “Y-Yes...”

 

      The examination went by quickly and soon Joonmyun was saying goodbye to the man. He was shaking from all the built-up fear and stress, but he was finally starting to relax a bit. They would let him leave. He wouldn't be trapped here, like Sehun had threatened.

 

      Joonmyun sighed when he thought of the boy. Sehun didn't want anything to do with him anymore. He was really going to have to be alone again. He used to live that way and was fine with it. He couldn't see himself doing it again though. He'd changed far too much. He would have to try though.

 

      When he got to the waiting room, he glanced around, looking for the younger boy. Of course, he didn't see him. He hadn't expected to, but it still hurt. He forced back the disappointed tears and walked towards the entrance of the hospital alone.

 

      When he glanced outside, he realized it was pouring rain. He groaned, trying to think of what to do. The rain didn't seem like it would let up any time soon. He would be soaked by the time he got to his house, but he didn't want to get stuck in the hospital all night long. He would just have to dry off quickly when he got home. He took a deep breath before walking out into the rain.

 

~*~

      Sehun ran up the street, still getting wet even though he had an umbrella since the rain and the wind were so fierce. He wanted to get to the hospital as soon as he could though, so he didn't slow down at all. He'd made it about half of the way there when a certain person caught his attention.

 

      A shorter boy was slowly walking through the rain, arms wrapped around himself, trying to keep warm. He was completely soaked from head to toe. Sehun gasped, immediately recognizing him, and ran over.

      “Joonmyun!” He shouted. When he got to the boy, he could tell the older was cold and shivering. “What the hell are you doing out in the rain!? What part of 'you're pregnant' don't you get!?” He fussed, shielding the boy from the rain with his umbrella.

 

      He heard soft sniffles and he glanced down at the boy's face. He couldn't tell if he was crying or if it was just water dripping down his cheeks. He didn't really want it to be the first, though that seemed the most logical. Sehun sighed.

      “C'mon. Let's go home...We need to get you dried off and warm again...”

 

      He wrapped his arm around the boy's back and pulled him a bit closer, hoping to keep him warm. After, he lead him back home. They walked slowly, so it took a while longer, but Sehun didn't want to rush the boy.

 

      When they got to Sehun's house, the younger dragged the older boy inside, pulling him straight to his bedroom. He ran to the bathroom and grabbed some towels. After, he grabbed one of the spare outfits Joonmyun had brought over with him.

 

      He returned to his bedroom and stripped Joonmyun of the soppy clothes that pretty much stuck to him. He instantly wrapped a towel around the boy's torso. He then used another to dry his hair.

 

      He spent a good 15 minutes just massaging the boy's head and trying to get his hair as dry as possible. When he deemed it dry enough, he grabbed the dry clothes and began helping Joonmyun into them. The boy hadn't said a word and didn't seem like he was going to. Sehun was worried about that, but first he needed to make sure the boy was warm.

 

      As he was pulling a shirt down the boy's torso, he heard his stomach growl. His eyes widened in realization. Joonmyun still hadn't eaten anything that day. Sehun cursed himself for forgetting again and quickly pulled some sweats onto the boy. After, he lead him over to the bed and made him lie down. Joonmyun seemed hesitant, like he wasn't sure he was allowed to. Sehun just continued to gently push him down, then tucked him under the covers.

 

      He then went to the kitchen and threw some porridge together. He figured that would be easy on the boy's stomach and was also warm. Sehun came back to the room and knelt beside his bed. He then spoon-fed Joonmyun, making sure the boy ate everything in the bowl.

 

      When he was finished, he brought the bowl back to the kitchen to clean later. He ate something quick himself, since he'd worked up an appetite. He then returned to his room and squatted in front of Joonmyun's face. The boy's eyes were open, but Sehun could tell he was minutes away from falling asleep.

 

      He placed his hand on the older boy's forehead and sighed. He already had a slight fever. Sehun could only hope it wouldn't get any worse. He got to his feet and walked away from the bed. He was about to leave the room, but he glanced back once more out of worry.

 

      To his dismay, Joonmyun still seemed to be shivering. Sehun didn't really have any extra blankets either. How had the older boy slept on that horrible couch without them? Sehun really had been an asshole to put him through that.

 

      He took a deep breath before getting on the bed beside Joonmyun. The older boy's back was facing his chest. He cautiously laid his arm over the other. Slowly, he inched closer to the older and wrapped his body around him. If nothing else, he could try and warm the boy up.

 

      Joonmyun seemed to relax against him after that. The shivering finally stopped and the boy fell asleep. Sehun let out one more sigh before whispering something into the older boy's hair.

      “You win, Joonmyun...You win...”


	11. Chapter 11

      For the next two days, Sehun stayed home from work to look after Joonmyun. The older boy's fever had gotten worse. Thankfully, it finally broke towards the end of the second day. Sehun had never taken care of someone to this extent before. It was somehow exhausting to spend all his time and energy on someone else. At the same time, he didn't altogether mind it.

 

      Joonmyun mumbled softly and nestled closer to the warmth beside him. His eyelashes fluttered slightly and he slowly opened his eyes. All he saw before him was white fabric. When he glanced up, he caught sight of Sehun, who was sucked into a book. Joonmyun gasped and sat up immediately, backing away a bit. Of course, he was tangled in the sheets and lost his balance. Sehun lunged forward and caught him before he could fall off of the bed.

      “Take it easy...Jeez...Don't freak out, ok?” The younger boy soothed.

      “S-Sehun...W-What...? Why? Why am I...?” Joonmyun stuttered. Sehun just sighed.

      “You're at my house. It was raining like crazy, and you were stupid enough to be in the middle of it, so I had to take care of the aftermath.”

      “O-Oh...I'm sorry...I'll...get going then...”

 

      Joonmyun started to get off the bed, but Sehun grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. His grip was firm, but not painfully so.

      “Where do you think you're going?” The younger asked.

      “Home...”

      “You're staying here.”

      “What?”

      “You're going to stay with me,” Sehun stated, his voice even and his face void of any expression. Joonmyun couldn't understand what the boy was talking about.

      “You told me you didn't want me around anymore...”

      “I know...” Sehun sighed. “But I was wrong...I do want you around...I want to make up for the way I treated you too...I won't make you stay, of course...but...you can...if you still want to...”

 

      Joonmyun's face was unreadable for a long time. Eventually, a soft smile swept over his features. He scooted closer to Sehun on the bed and grabbed his hands.

      “If I stay...can we try something?” He asked, hope in his voice.

      “What's that?”

      “Can we...try being the only ones for each other...?  No one else on the side...”

      “You mean like what you wanted when all this started?”

      “Y-Yeah...I guess you could say that...” Joonmyun stuttered. Sehun laughed softly and smirked.

      “That's what we're going to do. You won, Joonmyun...I don't feel the same about you...but I want to be with you...So I'm going to try it...”

      “Really?” The older asked excitedly.

      “Really.”

 

      Joonmyun was so excited that he rushed forward, wrapping his arms around Sehun's shoulders and knocking him down onto the bed. He giggled and nestled his nose into Sehun's neck. It wasn't until the younger coughed awkwardly that he realized he'd just done something impulsive that Sehun didn't even know existed.

      “Oh gosh! I'm sorry...I got really excited...” He muttered as he got up. Sehun sat up, and Joonmyun was surprised to see the boy looking a bit flustered.

      “It's fine...Why did you do that though...?”

      “I-It's called a hug...People used to do it in the past...”

      “I can see why they stopped...” Sehun mumbled.

      “It's usually not that forceful! I was just excited...Hugs can be great...at least, I think they can be...”

      “I see...”

      “Can we...try it?”

      “I guess...I don't know what to do though...so you start...”

      “O-Ok...It's not that hard...You just wrap your arms around the other person and hold them...”

 

      He timidly placed his arms over Sehun's shoulders and connected his hands in the back. Eventually, he tightened his arms a bit and pulled Sehun closer. He rested his face against the boy's neck. He wondered if Sehun could tell how nervous he was. This was his first time hugging Sehun while he was conscious after all.

      “This seems kinda pointless to me...” Sehun mumbled. Joonmyun's heart sunk a bit.

      “Just try it...You're not even hugging me back...”

 

      Slowly, he felt Sehun's hands wrap around his waist. They stayed that way for quite some time. Eventually, Sehun pulled him even closer, onto his lap, and began rocking them from side to side. Joonmyun was becoming so relaxed, his eyelids were getting heavy and he was starting to doze off. Sehun's voice woke him up though.

      “I guess this is pretty nice...”

      “Mm,” Joonmyun hummed. They stayed there for a while longer before another idea came to his head. “Hey Sehun...” He started cautiously.

      “What?”

      “Can we...um...make love?”

      “What is that?”

      “Well...It's...kinda like sex...”

      “So sex is love?” Sehun asked, trying to figure out what the unknown word was.

      “No...It's part of it, but it's different...I don't...really know what love is, but-”

      “If you don't know what it is, then how can we make it?” Sehun asked.

      “It's...It's something to do with feelings. I know...I know you don't feel the same way for me...but I...I want to have sex with you as more than just something to pass the time...I want it to mean something...Does that make sense?”

      “I guess...Will you be ok though? With a baby and all?”

      “It should be fine.”

      “Alright...”

      “But this time...can we please each other?”

      “What?”

      “Like...I do something for you,” Joonmyun whispered, rubbing his palm against Sehun's crotch. “And you do something for me...”

 

      Sehun didn't say anything, but reached for Joonmyun's pants and slid them off. The older boy let him take them off and at the same time, unzipped Sehun's jeans. He slid his hand inside the younger boy's underwear and began stroking his member. Sehun moaned into his shoulder and slipped his own hand inside Joonmyun's underwear.

 

      They stroked each other at the same pace, starting softly and slowly and then gradually speeding up, getting a bit rougher, but not enough to hurt the other. Joonmyun laid his head on Sehun's shoulder, moaning into it from time to time. He was alarmed when he felt the boy move away. He looked up quickly, only to find the boy reaching into his nightstand. When he pulled out a bottle of lube, Joonmyun's heart settled back down.

 

      Sehun wrapped his arm around the boy's back and slid his underwear off. After, he squeezed some lube onto his fingers and positioned them at Joonmyun's entrance. The older boy just laid his head back down on Sehun's shoulder and continued to stroke the younger's length. He felt the younger gently push his fingers in and begin stretching him.

 

      Chills ran down his spine. He'd never been this close to Sehun while they were having sex. Sure, their bodies had touched, but Sehun had only gone so far as to stretch him when he'd hit his head, and even that wasn't overly intimate. Other than that, they'd never been this close to each other for such a long period of time.

 

      Joonmyun winced a bit as Sehun continued to stretch him. He hadn't slept with anyone else, and it had been about a month since he'd done anything with Sehun. His body wasn't as used to sex as it once had been. The younger must have realized this though, because he was being extra careful with him. Joonmyun could get used to being treated like this.

 

      Sehun pulled his fingers out and slid away from Joonmyun. The older frowned at the sudden loss of warmth. Sehun just smiled gently and took his shirt off. After he slid his boxers off, revealing an erection. He glanced down at Joonmyun and raised an eyebrow.

      “What? You're going to keep your shirt on? I thought you preferred it without clothes...”

      “Huh? O-Oh...Right...” Joonmyun stuttered, fumbling with his shirt.

 

      Sehun laughed quietly and leaned down to help Joonmyun out of his shirt. When they were both naked, Sehun sat down on the bed. He quickly coated his member with lube. Joonmyun was about to lie down, but Sehun forced him to stay up. Seconds later, the younger laid down himself, grabbed Joonmyun's hips, and pulled latter over him.

      “W-What...?” The older gasped. He was now straddling Sehun's legs and his face was a deep shade of red.

      “You're going to lead this time,” Sehun said softly. “You're supposed to teach me how to make love, right?”

      “I...I guess...”

      “Plus, I want to go at your pace. I don't want to hurt you.”

 

      Joonmyun's heart fluttered at the words. Sehun really made him feel incredible, and dare he say it, special. He nodded and carefully positioned himself over Sehun's length. He took a deep breath before carefully sliding down. It hurt more than normal, but it wasn't unbearable.

 

      When he was seated on top of Sehun, he let out a shaky breath. The younger ran his hands up and down his thighs, trying to comfort him. Joonmyun smiled and glanced down at the boy's stomach, noting the scar. He would have to avoid touching it. He looked at Sehun's face and found the boy looking up at him with hooded eyes. Joonmyun smiled and decided to push his luck just a bit more.

      “Can we try something else?” He asked.

      “Instead of sex? It's a little late for that, don't you think?” Sehun said, somewhat disappointed.

      “No, no! In addition to sex...it's part of making love...and part of love in general...”

      “Ok...What is it?”

      “It's called kissing.”

      “That doesn't help...”

 

      Joonmyun giggled a bit and leaned over, making sure he didn't touch Sehun's stomach, and placed his lips on the younger's. He kept them there, and nibbled a bit at the other's lips. He pulled away a little later and smiled.

      “That's a kiss.”

      “It was...interesting...Am I supposed to return that as well?”

      “Mhm,” Joonmyun hummed, chuckling a bit.

 

      Sehun nodded and glanced up and Joonmyun. The older reconnected their lips, and this time, the younger kissed and nibbled back. They weren't particularly rough kisses, but each new one excited Joonmyun more than the last. Eventually, he remembered Sehun was inside him, so he rolled his hips a bit. Sehun moaned against his lips.

 

      Joonmyun then began moving up and down, still kissing Sehun. The younger boy bucked his hips upwards each time to meet him. Eventually, they fell into a rhythm. Joonmyun was getting lost in Sehun's movements and his lips. He'd longed to kiss the boy, but he never would have thought his wish would become a reality.

 

      Eventually, Joonmyun's prostate was hit and he gasped, jumping a bit and arching his back. Sehun chuckled and gripped the boy's hips, continuing his thrusts. Joonmyun let out loud moans as the spot was hit over and over. Soon enough, he leaned back down and reconnected their lips. He just couldn't get enough of Sehun's lips.

 

      When Joonmyun felt he was nearing his high, he tried to make his last few descents count. Each time, he made sure his prostate was hit. He soon released onto Sehun's stomach, his head leaned back and his back arched. Sehun lifted the boy up slightly, so he could continue to thrust. After a few of his own thrusts, he released inside the other boy. They rode out their orgasms together and were left panting messes.

 

      Joonmyun tiredly lifted himself off of Sehun. He wasn't sure whether it was because he was pregnant, had been sick recently, or his sex drive had changed, but he was tired. It was probably a combination of all of the possibilities. He just didn't feel up to another round. Sehun seemed to get the message, leaned over, and grabbed some tissues from the bedside table. He cleaned his stomach and Joonmyun's inner thighs, or what he could reach of them.

 

      The older boy flopped next to Sehun, or rather, partially on top of him. He gasped when he realized he'd landed on top of the scar. He tried to move away, but was surprised when the younger hugged him closer, holding him over the scar.

      “It's ok...You don't have to worry about that...I need to get over it...” He whispered.

      “But...It's something traumatic for you...I shouldn't touch it-”

      “It's fine,” Sehun reiterated. “I want to be able to let you touch it...ok? I want to be over it already...It doesn't feel that bad when you touch it...I overreacted last time and even hurt you...I don't want that to happen again...”

      “You're being...really nice to me...” Joonmyun whispered, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. “I don't know what to make of it...”

      “I know...I don't either...I'm scared....I'm scared of what I'm doing...of being with you...of doing these things...but at the same time, I don't like it when I'm not with you...And I don't know...You're such a royal mess, I feel like if I don't take care of you, you're gonna die...”

      “I'm that pathetic, huh?” Joonmyun sighed.

      “A little,” Sehun said, laughing. “But it's ok. I'll take care of you. By the way...what did the doctor say?”

      “Um...I'm 8 weeks pregnant...”

      “8 weeks already?”

      “Mhm...”

      “What about you? They didn't make you stay there?”

      “No...”

      “Are you ok physically? Are you healthy? Is it safe for you to be pregnant?”

 

      Sehun was asking so many questions that Joonmyun didn't want to answer. He didn't want the boy to get mad at him for not staying at the hospital when he should have. He didn't want him to change his mind and drag him back there.

      “I'm fine...” He said quietly. “A little underweight, but the doctor said I'd be ok.”

 

      Glossing over details never hurt. Sehun didn't need to know that it was a high-risk pregnancy and that he was supposed to see the doctor more than normal. It wasn't like Sehun was going to monitor his pregnancy anyways. They would just be staying together. Joonmyun would take care of himself.

      “Underweight?” Sehun asked. “Well, you have always been a bit small-looking...Guess I'll just have to feed you a bit more...”

      “You're really getting into this,” Joonmyun said, glancing up at Sehun's face.

      “Well, yeah...I said that you worry me and that I feel the need to take care of you, didn't I?”

      “I guess...I'm just...not used to this...I keep waiting for you to shove me into my clothes and kick me out the door...”

 

      There was a pause before Sehun sighed. Joonmyun then felt the younger boy's arm that he was partially on top of wrap around his back, resting on his waist.

      “Listen...I'm being serious this time, ok? I'm going to try and make it work...so stop worrying so much...”

 

      Joonmyun smiled gently. He tilted his head up and kissed Sehun gently on the jaw. The younger boy smiled softly before turning on his side to face the older boy. He ran his fingers through Joonmyun's hair, stopping for a moment when he felt a slightly elevated bit of skin. His brows furrowed. Before he could ask, Joonmyun answered his question.

      “It's a scar...It's from when my head hit the corner of the cabinet...when that man attacked me...” Sehun tensed a bit before sighing again and returning to his stroking.

      “This is why I feel the need to take care of you...”

 

      Joonmyun laughed a bit then wrapped his arms around Sehun's torso. He pulled himself closer and nestled his face against the boy's chest. He felt two warm arms envelop him a few seconds later. He could definitely get used to this feeling.


	12. Chapter 12

      Joonmyun and Sehun took one more day off work just to make sure the older was better. The following morning, Joonmyun woke up to the sound of shuffling at the other end of the house. He sat up groggily and looked around the room. Sehun wasn't there.

 

      He got out of bed and headed towards the kitchen, where most of the noise was coming. He was surprised to find the table set for two and Sehun busily preparing the last of breakfast. The boy turned around and jumped a bit when he spotted Joonmyun.

      “You're up...” He mumbled awkwardly. The older just smiled.

      “Mhm. I heard some noise so...”

      “Oh...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to wake you...”

      “It's fine. You're up pretty early though...”

      “Yeah. I'm going back to work today. I actually need to leave soon, but I figured I'd make us some breakfast first...”

      “Us?”

      “Yeah. I told you I was going to take care of you, didn't I?”

      “I guess...I'm just-”

      “Not used to it,” Sehun finished. “Yeah, I got that through my head already. Go sit down. I'm done with breakfast.”

 

      Joonmyun smiled and nodded, doing as told. Sehun served the food then sat down across from Joonmyun. They chatted with each other here and there. The atmosphere between the two had become just as relaxed as it had been before, if not more so.

 

      Eventually, Sehun got up and finished getting ready. He was at the door getting his shoes on when Joonmyun walked up to him. He wrapped his arms around his stomach and hugged him gently, not wanting to alarm the younger. Sehun glanced over his shoulder.

      “I'll be at work later,” Joonmyun mumbled into his back. “So until then...take care...”

 

      Sehun smiled and placed his hands on Joonmyun's. After a couple seconds, the older boy let go and watched Sehun leave. He sighed and went back into the house. He didn't know what else to really do with his time since he was already awake, so he settled on cleaning Sehun's house a little bit. It was the least he could do.

 

      Somewhere along the way, Joonmyun's nausea started up. Soon enough, he was racing to the bathroom and spilling his guts out in the toilet. He groaned and leaned against the wall once he had finished. He was still throwing up at least a couple times each day. Even when he was sick, he had gotten up, saying he had to use the bathroom, and thrown up instead. He had to wonder if all pregnancy was this bad. He'd ask Amber how she was doing later today.

 

      He cleaned his mouth out and started getting ready for work. When he was ready, he left the house, locking it behind him. He hopped on the train at the station and sat down. He was still battling nausea. Thankfully he didn't throw up. The ride was definitely long and trying though.

 

~*~

      Sehun sighed as he glanced at the clock. Joonmyun would be coming into work soon. He slightly regretted moving away from the boy in the assembly line. He could only trust Henry to take care of him now. The other boy did seem to care about Joonmyun's well-being, but Sehun wasn't sure just how much he knew. He was worried about whether Henry could fully take care of Joonmyun or understand when he needed a break.

 

      As if he knew Sehun was thinking about him, Henry started walking over to him during their break. Liu was trailing behind him. They looked determined, like they had a mission and they would do anything to see it done. They each grabbed one of Sehun's arms and dragged him to the back room, ignoring his confused protests.

 

      When they got inside, they shut the door behind them and locked it. They stood with their arms crossed, glaring at Sehun.

      “Um...What's going on?” Sehun asked.

      “You tell us!” Liu snapped. “Where's Joonmyun? You two were gone for three days! What's up with that? Huh?”

      “Er...I don't think that's any concern of yours...”

      “Actually, it is,” Liu argued. “We know Joonmyun's pregnant, we know it's your kid, and we know you were letting him stay with you. We've been the ones taking care of him while you oh-so-kindly ignored him.”

      “He told you...everything?” Sehun asked.

      “Yes. Everything,” Henry replied.

      “Even about wanting to stay with me permanently?”

      “Yes,” Liu sighed.

      “And you guys were ok with that?” Sehun asked. He was starting to get worried about just how much Joonmyun had told these two. Did he honestly not see the potential harm in telling them?

      “We were fine with it. We were his emotional support every time you hurt him actually,” Liu stated, not mincing any words.

      “Why?” Sehun asked.

      “We have our own reasons,” Henry sighed.

      “That's not important though! Where is Joonmyun?” Liu fussed.

      “He should be coming soon. I came in earlier than he did.”

      “Then where were you two the last three days?”

 

      Before Sehun could answer, there was another knock on the door. Henry unlocked it and looked outside cautiously, only to open the door and let someone else into the room. Liu immediately pounced on the new being and hugged him.

      “Joonmyun! Thank goodness you're ok!!!”

      “Er...Yeah...I'm fine...” The boy fumbled out. “I didn't see you two in the assembly line, so I came back here to check...” He glanced into the room and saw Sehun. His eyes went wide and he looked back at the other two. “Why is Sehun here!?”

      “Because we were worried about you,” Henry answered, locking the door once more.

      “How much does he know about you two?” Joonmyun asked.

      “Nothing,” Amber responded. Joonmyun nodded and walked over to Sehun, smiling apologetically.

      “Sorry...You're probably really lost, huh?”

      “Yeah...I'd say so,” the younger sighed.

      “Amber, can we explain things slowly for him?” Joonmyun asked. Sehun looked at him in confusion, having never heard the name he used before. Liu sighed and nodded, sitting down on the ground.

      “This is going to take a while, so make yourselves comfy,” she sighed.

 

      Henry sat behind her and placed his hand subtly on her back. Joonmyun glanced at Sehun and nodded. He was about to sit down, but the younger forced him to stay standing. Sehun then sat on the ground and reached for Joonmyun's hands, pulling him gently into his lap. The older was hesitant at first, but eventually, he relaxed against Sehun. Both Amber and Henry raised their eyebrows at this.

      “You two are being awfully close, don't you think?” Amber asked.

      “I could say the same about you two,” Sehun stated, motioning towards Henry's hand on her back.

      “Alright, alright. You caught us. Henry and I have been together for about 3 and a half months now.”

      “That's pretty long,” Sehun stated simply.

      “Yeah, well...Ugh! Whatever! I'll get the shocking stuff out of the way quickly! I'm a woman, ok? I came here after I was left behind on vacation. And Henry got me pregnant. I'm staying with him now and he's taking care of me, just like how Joonmyun is staying with you! There.”

 

      Sehun was silent for a long time. His face gave no hint on how he was feeling or how he was interpreting the information he'd just been given. Finally, he spoke up.

      “Well, you're pretty adventurous, aren't you?”

      “Er...Yeah...I guess you could say that,” Henry muttered.

      “So...Amber is your real name then?” Sehun asked the girl.

      “Yep~ Anyways, that's our story in a nutshell...So what's the story with you and Joonmyun? Why weren't you here the past few days?”

      “I took him to the doctor, then he got sick with a cold, so I had to stay home and take care of him. That's what happened.”

      “Uh...huh...And why are you caring for him all of a sudden? I mean, you treated him like crap before.”

      “I don't know...I just...wanted to be with him, so I decided to try and make it work.”

      “Are you being serious this time?” Amber asked.

      “I am,” Sehun stated, looking her directly in the eyes. “I'll take care of him...and try the thing he wants me to do...” Joonmyun smiled softly and grabbed the younger's hands, wrapping them around himself. Amber smiled.

      “Good! Now, Joonmyun...You went to the doctor?”

      “Mhm.”

      “And? What did they say?”

      “I'm 8 weeks pregnant...”

      “8 weeks, huh?”

      “Mhm. How far are you now, Amber?”

      “12 weeks~ Done with the first trimester!”

      “How was your morning sickness? Was it bad?” Joonmyun asked, somewhat off-topic.

      “Ugh! Yeah! I threw up quite a bit...but it's calming down...Is yours bad?”

      “Yeah...” Joonmyun sighed. Amber looked at him sadly.

      “Hang in there, ok? Just a little longer and it'll quiet down!”

      “Alright...”

      “Wanna see something else exciting!?” Henry suddenly asked.

      “Sure,” Joonmyun answered.

      “Amber, pull your shirt tight!” Henry told her. She rolled her eyes and sighed.

      “You always wanna see this...”

 

      She pulled her shirt tight, revealing a small baby bump. Joonmyun was so excited that he clapped quietly. Sehun didn't make much of a comment, but he nodded and tried to smile at her.

      “My doc says I'm a little too heavy for where I am in the pregnancy...But I don't even eat that much! Maybe I'm just gonna be one of those fat pregnant people...” She sighed.

      “Still...it's exciting, isn't it?” Joonmyun said happily. Amber smiled.

      “Yeah, I guess so...This sap here seems really happy about it,” she said, motioning to Henry. The latter simply blushed.

      “I can't help it...It's exciting...” He mumbled. Sehun was the one to break up the lighthearted atmosphere.

      “Amber, you won't be able to work here forever...Otherwise, they'll find out...”

      “I know. We've already got it figured out. I'm only going to be working for another month or two,” she stated. “After that, I'll be showing too much.”

      “Speaking of working,” Henry started. “Our break is pretty much over...We better go...”

      “Yeah,” Amber agreed. “Well, we'll catch you guys later. If we find you neglecting him, Sehun, I can guarantee you will regret it.”

      “I won't,” Sehun sighed.

 

      The other two left the room, leaving Joonmyun and Sehun alone. The older boy glanced up at Sehun, smiling softly.

      “You certainly managed to find some interesting people...” Sehun mumbled.

      “Yeah...but they're nice...And they take care of me. Henry helps a lot with my work.”

      “That's good....”

      “Mhm. And Amber's a bit crazy, but she's a good person.”

      “Yeah...I have to wonder what they're going to do though...I mean, with Amber...She won't be able to keep the baby and she's going to be found out someday...” Joonmyun frowned.

      “I don't know...but I'm sure they'll figure out something...”

      “Hopefully...Changing topics, how are you feeling?”

      “Hm?”

      “Are you nauseous?”

      “A little...but it's nothing big. Don't worry.”

      “Alright...Rest when you need to.”

      “I will.” Sehun nodded and stood up, pulling Joonmyun with him.

      “I'll see you later then.”

 

      Joonmyun nodded. Very quickly, he placed a kiss on Sehun's jaw. The younger rubbed his back gently and left the room. Joonmyun knew the other boy wouldn't return the kiss, but he was happy he was being a bit more affectionate in general. He then left the room to start working.

 

~*~

      Joonmyun went home from work first. When he got home, he cleaned up what he couldn't finish earlier that day and began working on supper. As he was working though, the urge to throw up came again and he was soon racing towards the bathroom. He really had to wonder if even Amber had thrown up this much. Still, she said it would pass, so he wasn't terribly worried.

 

      Sehun arrived home a little later. The two of them ate together, talking about miscellaneous, small things. Sehun also noted how clean the house was and made sure to thank Joonmyun, but reiterate that he shouldn't push himself. The older simply brushed it off, saying it wasn't a big deal.

 

      Soon enough, they were curled up in bed together. They weren't snuggled against each other, but they were closer than they used to be when they slept together. Both boys fell asleep with ease, tired from a long day of work.

 

      Later in the night, Sehun felt Joonmyun get off the bed. He opened his eyes sleepily, just in time to watch the boy leave the room. He heard a nearby door shut, and realized it was the bathroom. He heard faint gagging sounds, and realized Joonmyun was throwing up. He couldn't help but worry a bit about the boy, so he decided to wait for him to get back in bed, just to be sure he was ok.

 

      He heard the door to the bathroom open again, but Joonmyun never came back into the bedroom. Sehun waited for about five minutes before he finally tiredly dragged himself out of bed to go check on the boy. When he got outside, he found Joonmyun sleeping on the couch.

 

      He frowned and made his way over to the boy. For being so intent on staying at Sehun's house, Joonmyun was acting strangely distant all of a sudden. Sehun bent down and noticed the boy had already fallen back asleep. Perhaps the older was so tired he'd just fallen asleep at the nearest place he could. He sighed and stood up once again.

 

      He wrapped his arms gently around Joonmyun's back and under his legs and lifted him up. He carried the boy back into the room and set him down on the bed. He tucked him back in then got into bed himself. He would check on Joonmyun in the morning and ask why he didn't come back to the bedroom. For now, he needed sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

      The following morning, Joonmyun woke up slowly, groaning a bit. It took a couple of minutes for his vision to become clear and shake off the sleepiness. When his eyes finally focused, he was surprised to find Sehun's face in front of his. The younger was staring at him gently. Seconds later, he felt fingers softly comb through his hair.

      “Hey,” Sehun greeted, his voice almost a whisper.

      “Hey...” Joonmyun responded.

 

      He realized he was back in the bed. He vaguely remembered falling asleep on the couch. Had he made his way back to the bed while he was half asleep?

      “Why didn't you come back to the room last night?” Sehun asked next. Joonmyun's eyes went wide.

      “What?”

      “Last night...You didn't come back. I eventually went out and brought you back to the bed.”

      “O-Oh...”

      “So? What happened?”

      “I just...still felt sick...So I just stayed on the couch in case I needed to get up again...I didn't want to disturb you...” Sehun sighed.

      “I want you to disturb me though. I want to make sure you're ok. I know you're watching out for my well-being, and I'm grateful, but someone has to look out for yours as well. And I know sleeping on the couch isn't comfortable, so sleep on the bed. Don't worry about me, ok?”

      “A-Alright...”

      “Now, I'm going to go make breakfast. Are you hungry?”

      “A little...”

      “Still nauseous?”

      “Yeah...But I'll eat!”

      “Alright...Are you going to be ok though?”

      “Yeah...The nausea usually passes...”

      “If you say so...”

 

      Joonmyun nodded slightly. Sehun got up with a sigh, then headed out of the room, not saying much else. The older boy rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. His stomach growled, but he felt like if he moved too suddenly, he would throw up. He hated feeling this way.

 

      Finally, after his stomach had calmed down enough for him to move, he got out of bed. When he headed to the kitchen, Sehun was already halfway through making breakfast. He went over to help, but Sehun grabbed him by the waist and lead him over to the table, forcing him to sit down. A little while later, the younger brought breakfast over and they ate together.

 

      Sehun headed to work first. After he'd left, Joonmyun didn't even try to take care of any sort of cleaning. His nausea was especially bad that day. He settled for laying on the couch and closing his eyes, trying to swallow and get over the feeling. Sadly, it didn't seem to work. He got off the couch quickly and rushed to the toilet.

 

      When he'd finished throwing up, he took a few deep, shaky breaths. How long had it been since the last time he ate breakfast and didn't throw up afterward? He couldn't honestly remember. How he wished for the morning sickness to pass.

 

      Still, there was nothing he could really do. He'd just have to grit his teeth and bare with it. If what Amber said was the case, he only had about a month left of it anyways. He could handle that.

 

      He tiredly stood up and washed out his mouth. After, he got ready and headed out the door, on the way to a long, exhausting day at work. His nausea didn't get any better that day.

 

~*~

      A week passed with Joonmyun feeling just as horrible as always. He managed to struggle his way through work somehow. He was beginning to feel worse than before though. He threw up more often and the nausea was remaining constant. He didn't know how much longer he could handle it. He could only pray that it would go away like Amber said it would.

 

      To say Sehun was worried was an understatement. He was honestly extremely concerned about the older boy's well-being. He played it off as concern from a distance though. He didn't really know how to express himself any other way.

 

      He often glanced at the boy during work hours. At home, he made sure the older would eat. He was disheartened every time he heard Joonmyun head into the bathroom as well. He'd count the amount of time he was in there, and he could tell when the boy was throwing up. He'd always be nearby to make sure he was ok when he came out.

 

      Sehun woke up once again to the feeling of the bed rising as Joonmyun got off to head to the bathroom. Sehun sighed to himself and rolled over onto his back. He glanced at the digital clock on his bedside table as the numbers flashed at him in red, waiting once again for the older to return.

 

      Ten minutes later, the bed dipped and Joonmyun returned to his side. Sehun rolled over and placed his hand on the other boy's cheek. After a moment, his fingers made their way to his hairline and began brushing through the older's hair. Joonmyun let out a sigh and scooted closer to Sehun, relaxing against him. The younger had learned that this was one of the best ways to soothe him.

      “Are you sure you're ok?” Sehun asked softly.

      “Hm?” Joonmyun responded tiredly.

      “You're throwing up more often...I can tell. I don't think this is normal...I didn't have this much trouble...”

      “It'll be fine,” Joonmyun whispered, too tired to have this sort of discussion. “It'll pass soon enough...”

 

      Sehun sighed, not knowing what else to say. He wasn't going to push his boundaries. He wasn't nearly as daring as Joonmyun was in that regard. He felt the other boy wrap his arms around him and snuggle into his chest. He moved his hand from the older's hair and wrapped it around his side. He soon fell back asleep, only to wake up again some time later when the older had to get up again.

 

~*~

      Another two weeks went on in this way. The season was slowly changing and the days were getting colder. The nights in the city were especially cold. The weather was just one more concern for Sehun when it came to Joonmyun. The older boy got sick easily, the younger had found, and he was having enough trouble as it was.

 

      Amber and Henry had noticed how much of a mess Joonmyun had become as well. They expressed their worries to Sehun, who agreed with them to their surprise. The younger had started getting off work early so he could go home with Joonmyun. He was worried about the older being able to make it on his own. The other was always apologetic about it, but Sehun really couldn't have cared about anything else. Joonmyun really had a way of making him worry.

 

      They were standing together at the station waiting for the train to come one day. Joonmyun was curled up in his big, full-length coat. Sehun had gone back to his house a week ago to get it for him. Sehun was in a jacket himself. It was surprisingly cold for that time of year.

 

      When the train finally rolled into the station, they got on. They were quickly surrounded by a large group of people. Sehun glanced around and frowned when he noticed the seats were all taken. Joonmyun was pushed roughly against him as more people were squished inside. He glared at the culprit before righting Joonmyun on his own feet again. The older reached for a handle to hold onto as the train set into motion.

 

      Sehun noticed immediately when Joonmyun's face paled. The older looked down and held his hand to his mouth as he was swayed back in forth from the motion of the train. Sehun clicked his tongue quietly and glanced around once more in search of a seat. When he didn't see one, he subtly shifted closer to Joonmyun.

 

      He slid his hand inside the boy's jacket and around his waist. Joonmyun looked up at him with wide eyes. Sehun said nothing but pulled Joonmyun a bit closer to him, holding him as firmly as he could in hopes to stop him from swaying.

 

      Eventually, Joonmyun let his forehead rest softly on Sehun's shoulder. He closed his eyes, trying to keep the nausea from getting worse. He was thankful that the other was holding him still. Had the younger not noticed he was struggling, Joonmyun probably would have thrown up in the train by now.

 

      After a few stops, someone nearby got out of their seat to leave. Before anyone else could sit down, Sehun pushed Joonmyun into the seat. He stood in front of him and glared at all the nearby people who were giving him dirty looks for taking the seat. Joonmyun leaned down and rested his head in his hands.

 

      Sehun watched over him for the rest of the train ride. When it was finally time for them to get off, he helped Joonmyun to his feet and out of the train. From there, he kept his arm around the older's waist as they headed back home. He was starting to get used to the feeling of the smaller boy against his side. Joonmyun just seemed to fit there.

 

      Sehun was becoming more and more worried about the other boy though. He was still throwing up way too often for comfort and he just seemed to be getting worse. The older always brushed it off though, saying it would pass. Sehun was beginning to think that he'd have to stop being distant if he wanted this problem to get solved.

 

~*~

      Another week went by. Joonmyun was starting to seem like a walking corpse. He was always pale and had almost no energy. Sometimes it almost looked like he would faint. Sehun really hated to let the boy out of his sight. This needed to stop. It wasn't healthy for the older or for the baby.

 

      It was another restless night. Joonmyun got up once again and headed to the bathroom. Sehun's eyes burned from lack of sleep. He'd stopped sleeping peacefully ever since Joonmyun's condition worsened. He didn't mind though. After all, the other boy must have been feeling much worse.

 

      Not wanting to wait for Joonmyun to come back, Sehun got out of bed and made his way to the bathroom. When he got there, he quietly turned the knob of the bathroom door and found it unlocked. He opened it and found Joonmyun hunched over the toilet.

 

      Sehun didn't say anything, but squatted down beside the older boy. He rubbed Joonmyun's back gently, whispering comforting words into the boy's ears. Joonmyun could only gag and whimper as he continued to throw up.

 

      Finally, he seemed to calm down a bit. Sehun reached for his face and wiped the tears that had formed in the older boy's eyes from throwing up. Joonmyun composed himself a bit more and tried to get up, but he was way too dizzy and exhausted, so he quickly lost his balance.

 

      Sehun caught him and pulled him against his chest. He snuggled Joonmyun and rocked him from side to side. After a moment of silence, Sehun finally spoke up.

      “Are you REALLY sure you're ok? Cuz I really don't think you are...”

      “I don't know anymore...” Joonmyun finally admitted.

      “If you don't get better, I'm taking you back to the doctor, ok?”

 

      Joonmyun tensed a bit, but after a moment, he nodded slightly. Sehun hugged him just a bit tighter before helping to lift the boy to his feet and over to the sink. While Joonmyun washed out his mouth, Sehun flushed the toilet. When the older had finished, he tried to take a step, but collapsed against Sehun, who had quickly rushed to his side.

 

      The younger boy wrapped Joonmyun's arms around his neck. He placed his arm around the latter's back then bent down a little and scooped the other's legs up in his arms. Joonmyun settled tiredly against him, falling asleep almost instantly. Sehun couldn't help the small smile that came to his face when he glanced down at the older.

 

      He walked back towards the bedroom. Each step he took seemed to bring reality crashing back down on him though. Joonmyun actually felt lighter than the last time Sehun had carried him.


	14. Chapter 14

      Sehun woke up first the following morning. He ran his fingers through Joonmyun's hair, watching the other sleep peacefully. The older boy didn't wake up until another 15 minutes had gone by, but Sehun didn't mind. He wasn't really in a hurry. When Joonmyun's eyes fluttered open, he stared directly into Sehun's, a smile creeping slowly onto his face. The younger had to wonder how the other boy could still manage a smile with how awful he'd been feeling lately.

      “Morning,” Joonmyun said softly, wrapping his arms around Sehun and snuggling closer to him.

      “Morning...” Sehun responded, pausing a minute before returning the action.

 

      He did like the feeling of being hugged, but that didn't mean he was used to it. He couldn't help being awkward when Joonmyun hugged him. Redirecting his attention back to the older boy's health, Sehun soon spoke up again.

      “How do you feel?” He asked.

      “...About the same as always,” Joonmyun responded, deciding not to glaze things over anymore.

      “You should go to the doctor...” Sehun mumbled. He could feel the older tense against him.

      “I know...” Joonmyun stated. “I'll go next time I'm off.”

      “No. You're going today,” Sehun said firmly.  
      “But what about work...?”

      “You honestly think you feel good enough to go work?”

      “...No...” Joonmyun answered, biting his lip.

      “So stay home, ok? Just rest. I can't skip today, unfortunately. I've been leaving early lately, so I'm behind on hours...”

      “I'm sorry...It's because of me...”

      “It's ok,” Sehun said, hugging Joonmyun a bit closer to him. “I don't want to leave you alone, especially when you're out of the house, but I have to for now. When I get back home, we'll go to the doctor together, ok?”

      “Alright...”

      “So take it easy until then, ok? Don't strain yourself.”

      “O-Ok...Can you explain that I'm sick?”

      “Of course,” Sehun said softly. He gave Joonmyun one more firm squeeze before he sat up and started to get off the bed.

      “Are you gonna get breakfast?”

      “Yeah...Do you think you can eat?”

      “I can try...I'm hungry...I think...” Sehun smiled sadly and nodded.

      “Should I bring it here?”

      “No. I'll go out and eat with you.”

      “Alright...Just don't push yourself, ok?”

 

      With that, Sehun got off the bed and left the room. He began preparing food, trying to pick out things that were easy on the stomach in hopes that the boy would be able to keep it down. A little while later, Joonmyun came into the room and sat down at the table. Sehun finished making breakfast and placed it on the table.

 

      They ate in silence for the most part. Joonmyun ate as much as he could, but there was still some left over. Sehun wanted nothing more than to just stay with the boy and take care of him, but he was treading on thin ice at the factory. Not only was he falling behind in his work, he was also bordering on not making enough money to support the two of them.

 

      Reluctantly, Sehun got up from the table and placed their dishes in the sink. He went to his room and got changed quickly. When he left the room, Joonmyun was standing by the front door. Sehun walked over to him and tried to smile reassuringly. The older boy simply wrapped his arms around him again and nestled his face into the younger's chest.

      “It's gonna be ok,” Sehun soothed. “The doctor will find out what's wrong, and you'll be better before you know it.”

 

      He didn't know why Joonmyun had started being so timid about this. He seemed horrified, and Sehun couldn't figure out why. All he could do was whisper words of reassurance. He was beginning to wish he could bring himself to initiate the actions Joonmyun had taught him, like hugging and perhaps even kissing. He was sure that the older boy would feel better if he hugged him first, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

 

      After a few minutes, Joonmyun let go and smiled up at Sehun. He rubbed his arm a bit then took a step back.

      “Have a good day at work.”

      “I will. I'll be back as soon as I can, ok?”

 

      Joonmyun nodded and watched as Sehun walked out the door. He sighed and walked back into the living room. Within a short amount of time, he was heading back to the bathroom.

 

~*~

      When Sehun got to work, he clocked in and told the man in charge that Joonmyun wouldn't be coming in that day. He immediately got to work, trying to work as fast as he could. He wanted to get home as soon as possible.

 

      At one point in the day, Henry came over and asked how Joonmyun was doing. Sehun could only sigh and deliver grim news, much to Henry's dismay. He looked around for Amber, but didn't see her. Henry noticed Sehun's confused glances and explained that Amber stopped working because she was starting to show and didn't want to be discovered. Sehun nodded and went back to work shortly after.

 

      Later on, Henry came back when he was finished and began to help Sehun with his workload. Normally, Sehun would have declined, but he really needed to get home. So the two worked on together in silence.

 

~*~

      Joonmyun spent most of the day laying down. He felt too weak to stand up. His head was aching and he could tell he was dehydrated. He wanted something to drink, but he didn't want to get up. After arguing with himself for long enough, he finally decided to suck it up and get a drink.

 

      When he stood up, the world around him was spinning. He grabbed his head and tried to take deep breaths. He closed his eyes briefly, hoping the spinning would stop. Unfortunately, that did nothing to help and he found himself falling to the ground seconds later.

 

~*~

      Finally, Sehun finished work. He rushed to the station and hopped on a train. When he got to his stop, he walked home quickly. He didn't want to appear in a panic to the people around him, but he didn't want to walk at a normal pace either. When his house was finally in sight, he allowed himself to run the last bit of distance.

 

      When he got inside, he was surprised to find the lights hadn't been turned on, despite the fact that the sun had set in the sky. He flipped the light switch and glanced around. Joonmyun wasn't there to greet him, which was a bit odd for the older boy, but Sehun figured he was resting.

 

      He walked into the house and called out to the older boy. After a moment of silence, he called out again. He glanced in the kitchen but the boy wasn't there, not that it was a big surprise. He called out for the boy again and frowned when he still didn't hear anything. Was he sleeping?

 

      Sehun was on his way to the bedroom to check there, but something caught his attention, causing him to stop. His heart sunk when he saw a foot on the floor, poking out from the other side of the couch. He walked around the couch and his eyes went wide. Joonmyun was passed out on the floor.

 

      Sehun squatted down and shook the boy's shoulder slightly. When he got no response, he shook the boy a bit rougher, calling his name softly. Still, there was nothing. He raised his voice, calling out to wake the boy. He slapped his cheek gently, but Joonmyun made not move to wake up.

 

      Sehun groaned and pulled at his hair. He shouldn't have left him alone. Even if he did need the hours at work, he knew Joonmyun needed him more. He didn't have time to wallow in self-hatred though. Joonmyun was his first priority. He rapidly, but carefully, flipped Joonmyun over, then scooped him up off the floor. Without waiting any longer, he rushed towards the door and back out of the house.

 

      He ran as fast as he could to the hospital, trying not to jolt Joonmyun around too much. His lungs were burning and he could barely breath by the time he got there, but he didn't care. Joonmyun needed help that instant.

 

      He gasped and swallowed, trying to compose himself as he headed inside. A nurse noticed him and immediately came over to ask what the problem was. Sehun explained the situation and the nurse immediately called a doctor. Seconds later, the man, who'd examined Joonmyun the last time they'd gone to the hospital, came over and took the older boy from his arms. He offered a stiff attempt at a smile before heading away.

 

      Finally registering that Joonmyun was with the doctor now and that it would be a while before anything happened, Sehun snapped out of his daze and sat in a chair in the waiting area. He couldn't help but continuously beat himself up mentally for leaving the boy. He knew it was a bad idea, but he couldn't put off work. At least he got the older boy to stay home. He would rather have Joonmyun collapse at his house than at work or on the street. Beating himself wouldn't change anything either. He would just have to wait for the doctor to finish.

 

~*~

      It felt like an eternity before the doctor finally came back out. Sehun got to his feet and immediately went over to him. His heart was pounding, something he wasn't really used to. Joonmyun just had a way of making him nervous and worried.

      “Is he ok...?” Sehun asked hesitantly. The doctor sighed.

      “He's alright now...He was dehydrated and malnourished though. He'd lost weight as well...”

      “He'd been having really bad morning sickness...” Sehun stated.

 

      When the doctor gave him a confused look, Sehun quickly made up an explanation as to how he knew about Joonmyun's pregnancy.

      “He told me he was pregnant and that the morning sickness was bad...I work with him and live near him...so he wanted someone to know in case something happened...” The doctor sighed again.

      “If that's the case, then I suppose you should know...”

      “Know what?” Sehun asked cautiously.

      “Joonmyun is suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum.”

      “W-What was that?” Sehun asked, not understanding the big words.

      “Hyperemesis Gravidarum. In essence, it's like an extreme case of morning sickness. It surfaces around 9-13 weeks and leaves the parent constantly nauseous as well as feeling faint. The constant vomiting causes them to lose weight, which is obviously not a good thing during pregnancy.”

      “S-So...Is he ok?”

      “Yes. He's got an IV now, so he's getting the nutrients he needs...”

      “Will he get better?”

      “Usually, people with HG start to feel better around the 20th week of pregnancy...so we can only hope he'll be better by then. He's about 13 weeks along now, so I don't see it going away any time soon.”

      “Then what's going to happen to him!?”

      “Well...the best thing for him would be for him to be hospitalized here so he could be given the necessary nutrients through a tube, but knowing Joonmyun, he'll be completely against that...”

      “What do you mean...?”

      “He doesn't want to stay here. I suggested it during our first appointment, since I wanted to keep an eye on him...but he begged me not to keep him at the hospital...I agreed, albeit reluctantly, and wanted to meet him more often, but he never came back to the hospital...I'm glad you finally brought him.”

      “I-I see...But...if you're not going to keep him in the hospital, what's going to happen with him? He can't throw up all the time...”

      “Well, if he eats a lot of dry, bland food and drinks a lot of fluid, that might help. I can give him medicine for his nausea as well...He should also stop working. He needs to rest as much as possible. If his condition gets really bad though, I will make him stay in the hospital...”

      “So then...he'll be ok?”

      “Yes...You're awfully concerned about him...”

      “I-I...He's a friend of mine...so I worry about him when he's in trouble like this...”

      “I see...I'm glad he has you as a friend then. You'll probably take better care of him than he will.” The doctor began to walk away and Sehun hurriedly asked him one more question.

      “Can I see him?”

      “Hm? I suppose so. He might be sleeping though.”

      “That's fine...It's just for my own peace of mind...you know?” Sehun reasoned. The doctor nodded slowly.

      “I'll have the nurse show you to his room.”

      “Thank you.”

 

      With that, the doctor left, heading down the hall. A nurse came by a couple minutes later and asked Sehun to follow him back towards Joonmyun's room.


	15. Chapter 15

      Sehun was lead through a few long, bleak halls. Eventually, they stopped at a room. Sehun glanced up and spotted Joonmyun's name tag on the wall. He gulped and let out a shaky breath. He jumped when the nurse cleared his throat and looked at him expectantly. Sehun walked past the nurse and wrapped his hand around the doorknob. He twisted it and pushed the door open, heading inside quietly.

 

      After a few steps into the room, his hand dropped to his side, letting go of the doorknob. The door shut loudly behind him, causing him to jump. He glanced around the room, looking everywhere except the bed where the older boy was laying. He probably would have been better off looking straight at Joonmyun instead of trying to avert his eyes though.

 

      The room was exactly like the one he'd been trapped in two years ago when he was pregnant. The walls were unnaturally white and almost felt like they were closing in on him. The room was barren, no source of decoration in sight. The whole room seemed desolate, yet overwhelming at the same time.

 

      Sehun was beginning to shake, the painful memories and harsh feelings from two years ago flooding back into his system. Thankfully, a soft groan from the bed in the corner of the room caught his attention, keeping him from an emotional meltdown. He quickly walked over to the bed and looked down.

 

      Joonmyun's eyes were barely open. He looked pale and tired, an IV connected to his arm. Sehun let out a sigh of relief and couldn't help the small smile curling onto his face as the older boy's eyes opened wider.

      “Where...?” Joonmyun croaked out.

      “You're in the hospital,” Sehun answered softly. “I came home and you were passed out on the floor...”

      “Oh...I'm sorry...”

      “Why are you apologizing? I'm the one who left you alone when you needed someone the most...”

      “No...It's not your fault. I should be able to take care of myself...”

      “Is that why you didn't go back to the doctor?” Sehun asked bluntly. Joonmyun visibly stiffened and the younger sighed, realizing that he needed to be gentle when dealing with the other boy. “Joonmyun...You don't have to do this alone. You SHOULDN'T do this alone...”

      “But-”

      “No 'buts,'” Sehun stated firmly. “Joonmyun, you need to see the doctor regularly, ok? He's the best person to help you. And since we're living together and I'm taking care of you, you need to let me know when something's wrong. Don't hide things from me, ok?”

      “You won't...be bothered and get angry?”

      “Of course not,” Sehun sighed, exasperated.

 

      He flopped down on the nearby stool, exhaustion finally catching up with him. He groaned quietly and rubbed his eyes. When he removed his hands, he saw Joonmyun staring up at him apologetically. The older apologized once more and Sehun gently brushed it off. He suddenly glanced behind him at the top left corner of the room, frowning slightly, before scooting his chair a little to the left. Joonmyun gave him a confused look.

      “What are you doing? Why'd you move?”

      “So I can do this,” Sehun practically whispered before reaching for Joonmyun's hand and interlacing their fingers.

      “Why did you need to move to do that?” Joonmyun asked, his cheeks turning slightly pink. Sehun just smiled sadly.

      “There's a camera in the corner of the room. It can't see our hands if I sit here.”

      “Really? But wait...can it hear us?”

      “No. They aren't allowed to have audio recording because it's an infringement on the patient's privacy.”

      “You certainly know a lot about the cameras here...”

      “Well, I was trapped here for a while...I asked about them back then...Some days I just stared at the camera because there was nothing better to do...On bad days, I screamed some curses that might have gotten me in a lot of trouble if they really had been recorded...”

      “I see...” The older muttered, his body tensing up again.

 

      Sehun couldn't figure out why he was acting that way though. He decided he'd ask the boy when he was doing a bit better. For now, he just needed to make sure Joonmyun was doing well.

      “How are you feeling?” Sehun asked quietly.

      “Pretty bad...” Joonmyun answered.

      “I guess that's to be expected...”

      “What's wrong with me? Is the baby ok?”

      “Both you and the baby are fine...You've got an illness that's kinda like an extreme case of morning sickness...You were malnourished and dehydrated.”

      “Oh...Is that what the IV is for?”

      “Mhm.”

      “So then...will I have to stay here...?” He asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

      “The doctor said that you don't have to unless you keep getting worse. I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen though, ok? Don't worry.”

      “So then...how long do I have to stay here?”

      “I don't know for sure, but probably for at least a few days...maybe a week or two...” Joonmyun's face fell. Sehun squeezed his hand a bit tighter and rubbed it with his thumb. “Hey, it's going to be ok...You'll get through this.”

      “Will you come see me?”

      “Probably not...” Sehun answered after a moment.

 

      Guilt pooled in his stomach as he watched Joonmyun's face fall even more. Before the older boy could say anything, Sehun began to explain himself.

      “Listen...I'm not supposed to be hanging around, doting on you...The doctor was already questioning why I brought you and was near you in the first place. If I come see you everyday, they'll get really suspicious...Don't you think?”

      “I guess so...” Joonmyun mumbled.

      “So I won't be coming back...but I'll ask the doctor what day you're getting discharged...On that day, I'll be waiting outside for you, ok?”

      “Do you promise?”

      “I do,” Sehun answered, giving Joonmyun's hand another squeeze.

 

      After that, neither boy said much else. After a short while, Sehun let go of Joonmyun's hand and stood up. They said goodbye to each other quietly and the younger left the room. The older boy was left alone in the barren room. He could only hope that he wouldn't have to stay in that prison for too much longer. He couldn't even imagine how Sehun stayed in one of these rooms for the entirety of his pregnancy.

 

      He closed his eyes, bringing the hand the younger had been holding to his chest. There was still a bit of lingering warmth from Sehun's hand. Joonmyun focused on that as he slowly drifted off to sleep.

 

~*~

      The following day, Sehun went to work as usual. When he got there, he pulled Henry aside in order to catch him up on what had happened. Henry's jaw practically dropped to the ground as Sehun explained and his questions for the younger were nearly endless. After what seemed like ages, the older boy finally stopped asking questions.

 

      Henry apparently needed all the details, otherwise Amber would tear him to pieces, he explained. Sehun didn't know Amber too well, but she was something to be feared. He wondered if all women were like that. It was probably a good thing he had Joonmyun.

 

      It was then that he stopped and realized what he'd just been thinking. He was treating Joonmyun like he was his alone. Of course, that was what Joonmyun himself wanted, but it was the first time Sehun was actually thinking and acting in that fashion. It was scaring him, but at the same time, he didn't feel uncomfortable. In fact, he almost wanted to feel this way. He wanted Joonmyun to just stay beside him. It was partially because he was a disaster and Sehun didn't trust him to take care of himself, but he couldn't deny there was something else. He didn't quite know what, but there was just something drawing him to the older boy.

 

      The rest of the day went on rather slowly. Sehun returned to an empty house for the first time in over a month. It was lonely and almost more painful than his memories of the hospital room. Chills ran down his spine and he shook his head, willing the memories away. He had talked to Joonmyun's doctor once more after he'd left the boy's room the day before. Joonmyun would be released from the hospital after 1 week if he was healthy enough. They only had to bear with it for a little while longer. Sehun could only imagine how Joonmyun was feeling. Sehun would make sure the older didn't have to stay in the hospital for an extended period of time again.

 

~*~

      The week dragged on slowly. Sehun devoted most of his free time to researching various foods and recipes Joonmyun could partake in as well as how to take care of him. Sehun would have to change the types of groceries he bought, but it would be worth it.

 

      Joonmyun, on the other hand, felt like he was slowly going insane as the week went on. There was absolutely nothing to entertain him. The ceiling was completely white, and the walls weren't any more interesting. There were no books to read and the nurses weren't really ones for conversation. Joonmyun was dying for Sehun to come again. He knew it wouldn't happen though. That just made it even more painful.

 

      Joonmyun could understand now why Sehun had always been so harsh when the subject of hospital stay was brought up. He didn't even think he would survive the week. How had Sehun survived 9 months of this hell, with the nurses and doctors treating him like a disgrace on top of it all?

 

      Joonmyun had a new-found respect and awe for Sehun now. How strong did the boy have to be to survive such a thing? At the same time though, just how wounded and traumatized did it leave the boy? Joonmyun was determined to do his best to try and mend those wounds and make sure Sehun never suffered this sort of loneliness again.

 

~*~

      For the remainder of the week, all Joonmyun could think about was Sehun. It eased some of the tension that he was starting to feel from being cooped up. He was also starting to feel better physically. He'd been put on medication and was able to eat simple, dry foods. He was regaining some of his strength as well.

 

      When the day he was supposed to leave finally came, the doctor performed a checkup, making sure he was healthy enough. After the doctor deemed him safe to leave, Joonmyun practically bolted out of the room and down the hall. He wanted out of that place as soon as possible.

 

      The nurse lead him out towards the lobby. He glanced around the waiting room and didn't see Sehun there. He knew the boy wouldn't be waiting there of all places, but he still wanted to see him as soon as he could. The nurse left him once he was in the lobby. Having no other reason to stay in the hospital any longer, he walked towards the front doors and left the building.

 

      When he stepped outside, he was immediately blasted with a gust of cold wind. He closed his eyes, and wrapped his arms around himself, instantly shivering. When he opened his eyes again, there was a figure at the bottom of the steps that lead up to the hospital. Joonmyun gasped when his eyes connected with the other person's face. It was Sehun.

 

      Joonmyun wanted nothing more than to run down the steps and clobber him in a hug, but he knew better than to be affectionate in public. So instead, he walked down calmly. Another gust of wind hit him and he groaned. Of course it had to be cold and windy the day he was released. He was surprised to hear Sehun laugh.

      “You didn't have a jacket with you when I brought you here. You must be freezing...” Joonmyun didn't even try to deny that. “Come here,” Sehun said softly.

 

      As Joonmyun got within arms reach of Sehun, he was surprised when two arms wrapped around him, draping a warm coat over his shoulders. The younger's arms didn't linger, but it was close enough to a hug to satisfy Joonmyun. He slipped his arms into the sleeves of his coat and smiled up at Sehun.

      “Shall we go home?” The younger asked. Joonmyun nodded enthusiastically.

 

      As they walked home, Sehun stayed near Joonmyun. Their shoulders were brushing together a lot of the time. When the older tried to move away, Sehun would tell him to stay close. After enough failed attempts to move away, the younger boy very subtly reached for Joonmyun's hand. He interlaced their fingers, then stuck both of their hands in his pocket. Joonmyun glanced up at him questioningly.

      “This is why I wanted you to stay close to me. If you're really close, other people won't notice us holding hands.”

 

      A wide smile crept onto the older boy's face. He really liked this gentle, caring Sehun. In fact, he was beginning to think that he loved him.


	16. Chapter 16

      The walk back to Sehun's house was a fairly slow one. The younger boy didn't want to rush Joonmyun at all, In fear that too much exertion would make the boy ill again. They even had to stop a couple of times because Joonmyun's nausea got worse. Still, they were both fairly content to be back together. It was amazing how empty they'd become going just a week without each other.

 

      When they got back to Sehun's house, they began taking off their jackets and shoes. They were completely silent for a few minutes and hardly even looked at each other. The air between them wasn't awkward or hostile though. It was more timid and shy, like neither of them could really find the words to say. Finally, Sehun spoke up.

      “You need to quit work...”

      “What?” Joonmyun asked, his eyes going wide.

      “You need to stop...Your condition will improve a ton if you just rest. Cleaning the house might even be too much...”

      “But...What about paying you back? It's hard to take care of me, isn't it?”

      “It is, but I want to...I don't need you to pay me, ok? And while I do appreciate the housework, you really don't need to do that for me either.”

      “Are you sure...?”

      “Look, your condition gets worse if you overexert yourself...Bed rest is a way to help things...A lot of times, people need to be hospitalized and receive nutrients from an IV...” Joonmyun stiffened, so Sehun quickly continued. “But we're going to try our best to make sure you don't have to...so you'll have to eat some pretty bland food and you're gonna have to rest a lot and stay hydrated, ok?”

      “Alright...” Joonmyun whispered. After a moment, he spoke up again. “I don't know how you did it...”

      “Did what?”

      “Stayed in that place for so long...” Sehun sighed and smiled sadly.

      “It's had some lasting effects on me...”

      “I was only there for a week and I never want to go back...”

      “But you have to,” Sehun stated.

 

      Joonmyun looked down at the ground, biting his lip. The younger sighed and bent down so he could look into the boy's eyes.

      “Look...The doctor isn't that bad...I know I made them out to be evil before...but they don't have to be. He's the one who's going to help you the most, Joonmyun. You can't do this without him...”

      “I know...” The older whispered. “But it doesn't mean I'm not scared...”

      “Don't worry, ok? Even if I can't go there with you or be with you during the appointments, I'm still gonna be supporting you, ok?”

      “Thank you...”

 

      Sehun nodded and stepped further into his house to hang his coat on the coat rack. When he turned around, he was surprised to find Joonmyun in the same spot, gripping his coat tightly. Sehun went over to him and pried it out of his fingers, hanging it next to his. When Joonmyun still hadn't moved, Sehun raised his eyebrow.

      “Everything ok?” He asked.

      “I was...just wondering something...”

      “What's that?” Sehun asked.

      “Can we...um...kiss? Or maybe even just hug?” He heard Sehun chuckle a bit and he closed his eyes, expecting to be rejected.

      “Of course.”

 

      Joonmyun glanced up at him with excited eyes. Sehun took a step closer to him and timidly slid his arms around the boy's waist. Joonmyun then wrapped his arms around Sehun's neck, pulling himself closer to the boy. A wide smile spread across his face as he stared at the other boy's face only inches away from his.

 

      Just as shyly as they had hugged, Joonmyun brought his lips to Sehun's. They rested there for a short while before he pulled away. Before he could do much else, Sehun had reconnected their lips, nibbling at the other's softly. Joonmyun proceeded to follow his action, giggling here and there when their lips didn't quite line up, leaving them pressed together awkwardly. After a while, he felt Sehun's warm hands running up and down his back. He could really get used to this sort of thing. He could only hope the younger felt at least somewhat the same about it.

 

      When Joonmyun's feet were starting to hurt from standing on the hard floor and his back was aching from standing too long, he felt Sehun pull away. The younger could probably feel him unconsciously trying to adjust his body to get more comfortable. Sehun smiled bashfully and glanced towards the kitchen.

      “It's been quite a day...Why don't we sit down and eat? I bought some stuff to make for you, so just relax, alright?”

      “Ok,” Joonmyun answered, trying not to put up too much of a resistance, even though he wanted nothing more than to help Sehun. He would just have to learn how to let someone take care of him.

 

      The rest of the day they spent with each other, talking about various things. When it came time for them to get in bed and sleep, Joonmyun was surprised to find Sehun digging through his closet. He tried to peek over the other boy's shoulder at what he was trying to get, but Sehun stood up before he could see. When the younger turned around, his arms were full of books.

      “What are all those!?” Joonmyun asked, bewildered.

      “They're the books that I learned all the theory and such from.”

 

      He set the books down on the bed and Joonmyun walked over to look at them. He didn't recognize any of them. In fact, he didn't even think people of their class had access to them.

      “How did you get these...?” He asked, flipping through the pages of one.

      “Well...After I was raped...They asked me what I wanted as compensation for having to go through with the whole ordeal...And I said I wanted to learn new things...I wanted something to entertain me...I'd been cooped up with nothing, so I needed something to make up for it...So they gave me these, even though we aren't supposed to have them. I had to promise not to distribute them though, not that I would...”

      “Wow...But then, why did you pull them out?”

      “Because you're going to need something to keep you entertained. I'm going to be away at work. They aren't anything like that book you were reading...and they might be pretty boring...but they're better than nothing, right?”

      “They're great...Thank you...But, is it really alright if I read them?”

      “Of course. I don't mind and it's not like it matters much. You won't go giving them away, so it'll be our secret.”

 

      Joonmyun couldn't help the smile on his face when Sehun used the word “our.” He was getting so attached to the boy that even the simplest things made him ecstatic. He took the books and placed them on his nightstand, then got into bed with Sehun. He pressed his body against Sehun's, relishing the warmth the younger emitted. He couldn't even imagine being in bed alone. That whole week of hell in the hospital seemed to disappear from his mind whenever he was with the other boy.

 

      He let out a content sigh and closed his eyes. He fell asleep almost instantly, the events of the week having worn him down quite a bit.

 

~*~

      The following day, Joonmyun went in to work long enough to discuss his temporary leave, then went back home. He spent the entire day reading one of the books Sehun had given him. The younger was right in saying it wasn't nearly as interesting as his old book that had been burned, but it wasn't that bad. He actually enjoyed reading, and the content captured his interest. As soon as Sehun came home though, his attention was completely on him.

 

      A couple weeks went on in that fashion. Sehun was working quite late now, needing to save up money to support two people, but he was always refreshed when he came home and spent the evening with Joonmyun. Something about the older boy seemed to give him the energy to keep moving on.

 

      Joonmyun was doing a lot better as well. The doctor had prescribed some medication for him and it was doing wonders. He was still throwing up, but he was able to keep some food down and he didn't look like he was about to collapse. Sehun still kept an extremely close eye on him though. The last thing he wanted was to come home to the boy passed out on the ground again.

 

      It was hard for Joonmyun to be without Sehun. Even though they hadn't worked near each other for a while, he could have at least stolen glances while he was working. Now that he was alone, the days seemed to drag on. He longed for Sehun to be with him, but he knew he couldn't demand such a thing.

 

      Finally, Sehun had a much-needed day off. He'd never found his job hard, but working for so long doing such simplistic things bored him. It didn't help that he didn't really have anyone to talk to at his new spot on the assembly line. He didn't need to talk to someone in the past though. Joonmyun was really starting to change everything.

 

      Sehun slept in a bit late that day, needing the rest. When he woke up, he turned on his side and was happy to find Joonmyun sitting up reading a book. The older glanced over at him and immediately his face lit up.

      “Good morning,” he said softly.

      “Morning,” Sehun answered. “Were you awake for a while?”

      “Not too long. You were sleeping soundly, so I didn't want to wake you.”

      “How are you feeling?”

      “Fine. You?” Joonmyun asked, laughing a bit at the fact that the younger was already concerned after just waking up.

      “Alright...I guess we should get up and eat, huh?”

      “Mm, we don't have to...I'm not terribly hungry. I'd rather just lay here.” He set the book down on the nightstand then scooted closer to Sehun, laying back down beside him.

      “I guess that works,” the younger sighed, moving one arm around to Joonmyun's back and pulling him closer.

 

      They laid there for a while, saying nothing. Sehun ran his hand gently up and down the older's back. At the same time, Joonmyun leaned his head on Sehun's chest, his fingers traipsing across the rising and falling surface. Joonmyun almost felt like going back to sleep. He had to wonder how most people got through the day without this sort of comfort. His thoughts were then disrupted by Sehun's voice.

      “Hugging is really nice...”

      “Mhm,” Joonmyun agreed. “I think this is more like snuggling or cuddling though.”

      “What are those?”

      “They're kinda like extended hugs.”

      “They're even better then...”

 

      Joonmyun chuckled a bit and nodded. Sehun seemed so icy and rough around the edges, but in times like these, he really seemed like an innocent child. He was still really young though, so it made sense. Joonmyun just found it extremely endearing.

 

      After being in the position too long, Joonmyun shifted onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. Sehun took that opportunity to turn on his side and wrap his other arm around Joonmyun's stomach. He hadn't ever really been the one to cling onto the other before. Usually Joonmyun was always holding him. It felt nice to have the younger in his arms.

 

      His hand slowly started rubbing light circles onto Joonmyun's side. After a while, it slid under the older's shirt and slowly began exploring the smooth skin of his stomach. A small baby bump had begun to develop, despite the older boy still being so thin. He'd been going to the doctor often thankfully, and while he was still underweight, he was a lot healthier than before.

 

      As Sehun continued to rub the small bump of Joonmyun's stomach, the older boy spoke up.

      “Do you ever wonder what it would be like to actually raise the child yourself?”

      “Joonmyun, you know it doesn't work that way...”

      “I know...But have you ever wondered how it would be like?”

      “Not really...I don't think I would really know what to do...”

      “They used to in the past...Sometimes I wish I could keep this baby too...and learn how to raise it and be a parent...”

      “You can't keep it Joonmyun...That's just not how things work...”

      “I know...” He said sadly. “But sometimes, I really wish things were different...”

 

      Sehun didn't know what else to say to the boy. Joonmyun always seemed to be one step ahead of him in his crazy ideas. The younger was finally starting to get used to the idea of being with one person and caring for that person more than anybody else, but now Joonmyun was wanting to keep the baby as well. They were such strange concepts to Sehun and he really just couldn't wrap his mind around them. How could their society change so much from the people of the past? And why? These things that Joonmyun was teaching him felt so good, so why were they forgotten? And why would the government try to prevent them from being relearned by burning those forbidden books? It was just all too much for Sehun's small mind to fathom.

 

      They laid with each other a little while longer. Sehun finally got up after Joonmyun's stomach started growling and made them some food. The rest of the day was spent lounging around and talking to each other, with Joonmyun stealing a kiss or two every so often. They were both realizing that this wasn't a bad way of spending their free time each day.


	17. Chapter 17

      A couple more weeks went on. Sehun was back to working almost nonstop. Joonmyun was trying his best to make sure the younger boy could rest when he came home. On better days when his health permitted, the older would even do a small amount of cleaning.

 

      Sehun was always happy when Joonmyun would do small things like minimal amounts of cleaning, or even just welcoming him home when he stepped through the door. It was so much fun to have someone to return to each night. It made the long day at work worth doing.

 

      Joonmyun's stomach was getting rounder as well. He was still small and according to the doctor, a bit under weight, but he was definitely getting bigger. His belly noticeably protruded now. Sehun found a strange sense of comfort in running his hand over it when they cuddled as well. It seemed like a weird action, but Joonmyun said it was a perfectly normal thing to do, especially since the baby was his as well.

 

      Sehun hadn't ever considered it his baby though. Their society simply didn't have such a concept. The birthing class had never considered any of the babies they produced as their own child. It wouldn't have mattered since they wouldn't get to keep it anyways. It was even stranger to think of the child as belonging to two people. True, his DNA had been passed on to the child, but Joonmyun was the one carrying it, not him. In a normal situation, Sehun would have left him long ago, not even knowing he'd gotten him pregnant.

 

      He didn't exactly mind this idea of the baby being his though. He would have to make sure not to get too attached to it though. No matter what, they wouldn't keep the baby. It would go to a family unit to be raised. Sehun was starting to see why Joonmyun wanted to keep the baby though. The older had already gotten attached to it and considered it his. No, theirs.

 

      The day started the same as always for the two boys. Sehun had gone to work and Joonmyun remained home to rest. The younger was on the train, staring out the window at the dull scenery around him. He was glad the ride was short, otherwise he would never be able to stomach such a boring view. He soon overheard a conversation nearby that sparked his attention much more than the outside scenery though.

      “I saw an enforcement committee member at the factory yesterday,” a youthful man whispered.

      “What!? Why were they there?” The man beside him asked.

      “I don't know...but if the committee is on patrol, it means something's wrong, doesn't it?”

      “Maybe...I don't know how the committee works. No one does. Whatever it is though, it'll pass. You aren't doing anything wrong, are you?”

      “No! Of course not.”

      “Then you'll be fine.”

      Sehun gulped and nibbled on his lip. He wasn't so naïve to think that if the enforcement committee showed itself, things were ok. They usually worked in silence, so if they were openly patrolling, something was definitely going on. He and Joonmyun would have to be careful.

 

      When he got to work, he glanced around. He didn't see any enforcement committee members looming about. He let out a sigh of relief, then looked for Henry. He figured he needed to warn the older boy so that he and Amber would be safe as well. Before he could even go to the older boy's spot in the assembly line, a hand landed on his shoulder. He turned and was met with none other than Henry.

      “We need to talk,” the older whispered.

 

      Sehun nodded grimly and followed the other boy to the room where their discussion was often held. When they were inside, there was a moment of silence before Sehun spoke up.

      “The enforcement committee is on patrol...”

      “So you heard about it too, huh?”

      “Do you know why?”

      “No...Nobody knows anything about the committee...I don't even know how they find what's 'wrong' in the first place...They never show themselves...”

      “They must monitor the city in the shadows,” Sehun reasoned.

      “I guess...Not very reassuring for us though...We never know when someone's watching...”

      “Has Amber been going out lately?”

      “No. She's extremely cautious...Ever since she started showing, she's been hiding out in my place...She's not supposed to be pregnant and if they find out she is, they'll do a physical exam, and you know what will happen then...”

      “Yeah...” Sehun sighed.

      “What about Joonmyun? He's been staying with you, right? Have you two been keeping your living situation well-hidden?”

      “We've been trying...Joonmyun and I don't go out at the same time...He actually hardly goes out because he gets so ill...He mostly rests at home...”

      “It must be hell...I know Amber's going insane from being cooped up for so long...”

      “There's nothing we can do...He'd rather be at my house than at the hospital...”

      “I bet...At least you can keep him company...”

      “You keep Amber company, don't you?”

      “Yeah...But normally it turns into her either nagging or teasing me...Not sure if she really wants me there...”

      “She does, trust me. If she can still smile and laugh and tease you, then she's happy you're there...”

      “You think so?”

      “I know...I was forced to be trapped by myself for long enough to know that it messes you up...”

      “You seem like a decent guy now though...”

      “I think...Joonmyun's helped a lot with that...”

      “Certainly seems that way...” There was a moment of silence before anyone spoke up again.

      “We can't talk here forever or else it'll get suspicious,” Sehun stated. “Just be careful, alright?”

      “Yeah...You too.”

 

      They both left the room and headed back to the assembly line. As Sehun took his position and began packing, he spotted someone in the corner of the room, eyeing him. It was a member of the enforcement committee. They really had come to observe. Sehun took a deep breath, trying to keep calm and act normal. He would really have to be careful from now on.

 

~*~

      Sehun worked later than most of the other workers. To his dismay, the enforcement committee member that had been watching him all day stayed as well. When Sehun finally finished, he went to clock out, anxious to get as far away as possible from the intimidating presence in the room.

 

      As he was finishing clocking out, he was shoved against the wall roughly. One of his arms was pushed roughly against the wall while the other was twisted behind him. He bit his lip in order to suppress a scream. He glanced over his shoulder and was met with a sinister smirk. The enforcement committee member had cornered him.

      “Oh Sehun, correct?” The man asked.

      “Yes. What is it to you?”

      “I'd watch your tongue if I were you.”

      “I'm sorry. When I'm held against my will with no explanation, I tend to get a little impolite,” Sehun responded coldly.

      “Kim Joonmyun hasn't been to his house lately...Do you know something about that?”

 

      Sehun's heart sunk. They had been monitoring Joonmyun? Did they know that Joonmyun was staying with him? Either way, Sehun wasn't going to give away any of the information this man wanted.

      “I don't know what you're talking about,” Sehun answered coolly.

      “Really? Is that the case?” The man asked, pressing closer to Sehun. “He was last seen with you...”

      “I don't know anything,” Sehun repeated.

 

      Sehun felt the man's knee push in between his legs. His heart began to race. This position was starting to feel painfully similar to something from the past he didn't ever want to remember. He tried to break free, but the man just held him firmer, pushing against him.

      “You know...You're not exactly a normal case yourself, Oh Sehun...We've been monitoring you as well, just in case you go off course...”

      “What's that got to do with anything?” Sehun asked. He was breathing rapidly and trembling. His body remembered this sort of feeling and was already reacting.

      “You'd do best to cooperate with us. We don't want anything unfortunate to happen again, do we?” The man threatened, rubbing his knee against Sehun's crotch.

 

      Sehun let out a small whimper and closed his eyes. How could someone from the enforcement committee resort to this sort of treatment? Weren't they supposed to keep the city in check and prevent this sort of thing? So much for that.

      “Well? Do you know where Kim Joonmyun is?” The man persisted, breathing down Sehun's neck.

 

      Sehun was biting his lip so hard that it was on the verge of bleeding. His entire body was shaking violently and tears were streaking down his face. He wanted nothing more than to scream, but his body wouldn't respond. It was becoming numb. All he wanted was to be at home with Joonmyun, where he was safe.

      “Are you going to tell me or not?” The man hissed one last time, rubbing his knee roughly against Sehun's groin. Before Sehun could even think of an answer, another voice cut into the scene.

      “What are you doing?”

 

      Both Sehun and the man looked towards the source of the voice. Another enforcement committee member was glaring at the man on top of Sehun. Still, no movements were made to release Sehun.

      “Let him go,” the second man commanded. “You know forceful coercion isn't allowed. I could have you revoked of your position for this.” The man holding Sehun clicked his tongue before letting go.

      “I was so close though...” The first man grumbled under his breath, only loud enough for Sehun to hear. He then walked over to the other member.

      “I apologize for this rough treatment,” the second man stated. “Should you experience any health complications, do let a doctor know. We'll be sure it's taken care of free of charge.”

 

      The two men then turned and left, leaving Sehun a shaking mess. He gulped and wobbled away from the wall. His mind was completely blank. His body was working on autopilot. He didn't waste any time getting to the elevator and out of the factory. He got on the train, not even caring if he shoved a few people in order to get on quickly.

 

      The train ride hardly registered to Sehun. He was still in a complete daze. All he knew was he needed to get away from there. He needed to get to safety. He needed to get to Joonmyun.

 

      Once he got off the train, he rushed home. Soon enough, his house came into view. He was in the final stretch. He could almost see Joonmyun greeting him at the door. He could almost feel the older boy in his arms.

 

      When he got to his house, he rushed in the door, shutting it quickly behind him. He kicked off his shoes and glanced around. He was seconds away from breaking down and Joonmyun was nowhere in sight. He tried to call out for the boy, but only a quiet sob came out. His body was still shaking and his mind couldn't even formulate words. He perked up slightly when he heard footsteps coming closer to him.

 

      Joonmyun was in sight seconds later, a wide smile on his face. He walked quickly over to Sehun and stopped right in front of him.

      “Welcome home,” he said happily.

 

      That was all it took to make Sehun lunge towards the boy and wrap his arms around him. He dug his nose into the older boy's neck, sniffling a bit. He tightened his grip on Joonmyun, not holding him tight enough to hurt him, but tight enough for their bodies to completely touch each other and Sehun to feel the bump of Joonmyun's stomach.

 

      Joonmyun was surprised at the boy's actions. The other boy normally wasn't assertive when it came to physical affection. When Joonmyun felt the younger trembling in his arms though, he stopped caring about that sort of thing. He immediately wrapped his arms around Sehun, running his hands up and down his back, trying to soothe him. The younger only seemed to get worse though, and soon Joonmyun could hear soft cries and felt warm droplets land on his shoulder and neck.

      “It's gonna be ok...” Joonmyun whispered softly, rocking Sehun back and forth. “You're home now...Everything's going to be ok...”

 

      They remained that way for quite a while. When Sehun finally let go of Joonmyun, the older's feet were aching from standing. Still, that wasn't his main concern. The younger boy was looking down at the ground, sniffling. He placed both his hands on Sehun's cheeks and looked up at him gently.

      “Are you ok now?” He received a tiny nod. With a small smile, Joonmyun continued. “Let's go to the bedroom, ok? My feet hurt...”

 

      Sehun nodded again. Joonmyun took the younger by the hand and lead him to their shared room. When they got inside, Joonmyun got on the bed, patting the spot next to him. Sehun sat next to him silently. The older sighed before pulling the younger closer to him again, letting him rest against his chest. Sehun closed his eyes as he listened to the older's heartbeat, trying to calm down. After a few minutes, Joonmyun spoke up.

      “Do you want to tell me what happened? You don't have to if it's hard, but if you can, I want to know...”

      “Today...someone put me in a position similar to...that time...” Sehun explained. After a short pause, he continued. “I thought I was over it...but I guess it'll always haunt me...”

 

      Joonmyun sighed and closed his eyes, knowing what the younger was referring to. He rubbed Sehun's back before snuggling the boy closer.

      “It was something traumatic for you...It's not something that just goes away...But I don't want you to think you're weak because of it...” The older stated, knowing that Sehun would be blaming himself for the way he feels. It was amazing how even in such a short amount of time, they'd both learned so much about each other.

      “Still...I couldn't do anything...I couldn't even fight back...” The younger sighed.

      “You can't expect yourself to be perfect, Sehun...There are some things that you just can't do anything about, like fighting back in this case...But just because you can't bring yourself to, it doesn't mean someone else can't do it for you instead...You aren't alone, Sehun.”

      “What would you have done if you were there?”

      “I would have fought him off of you, even if I got hurt or reprimanded for it. I'll always be there for you.” Sehun smiled and wrapped his arms around Joonmyun's stomach.

      “Thank you...”

      “There's nothing to thank me for. I care about you, so I'd naturally protect you.”

      “I know...but still...”

 

      Joonmyun laughed softly and rocked from side to side. The younger boy was always so composed around him, almost making him seem older and more mature, so seeing him like this was definitely something new. The older was determined to keep Sehun safe and composed. They only had each other in this world after all.

 

      After another long, comfortable silence, Sehun remembered something important Joonmyun needed to know about. He glanced up at the boy, their eyes meeting instantly.

      “The enforcement committee is on patrol now...They even came to work today...”

      “What? Why?”

      “I don't know...But one asked about you...They're monitoring us...We're going to need to be careful from now on...”

 

      Joonmyun nodded grimly. That was all they said about that topic. Neither of them really needed the heavy atmosphere that sort of discussion brought. Instead, they laid down on the bed together, cuddling until it was time to go make dinner. Even after that, they snuggled up together again. They were slowly becoming inseparable.


	18. Chapter 18

      A week went by after the incident with the enforcement committee member. Sehun was extremely skittish and paranoid at the factory now. Thankfully, nobody called him out on his strange actions. He didn't feel like explaining it to anyone.

 

      Unfortunately, the enforcement committee was still on patrol and someone was always in the factory alongside the workers. Sehun didn't see the one who attacked him though. He could only hope the man was punished for his actions. He was starting to doubt the society functioned that efficiently though. If there was corruption in the enforcement committee, no one was truly safe.

 

      As stressful as the days at the factory were, coming home made everything worth while. Ever since Sehun had broken down in Joonmyun's arms, the older had been nothing but supportive and sweet, even doting on the younger. Sehun had to wonder how Joonmyun could still stomach him, honestly. He wasn't overly strong and his emotions always got the better of him. Not only that, but he'd been so cruel to Joonmeyon in the past. If the older boy was in love with him, Sehun had to wonder just how irrational this so-called feeling was.

 

      At the same time though, Sehun was grateful for that irrational emotion. He was starting to wonder if he could feel it too someday, if he _was_ feeling it already. He would often ask himself if he would do the same for Joonmyun if their positions were switched. Perhaps at the beginning, he wouldn't have done much for the boy, but now, he'd do anything for him. He was already doing everything he could for him. Was this love? It certainly wasn't just a sense of loyalty or a simple feeling of like for the boy. There was definitely at least a little of something else there.

 

      Joonmyun and Sehun were curled up in bed together after the latter had gotten home from his last day of work for the week. Sehun was resting his head on Joonmyun's chest, his nose pressed gently against the latter's neck. His arms were wrapped once again around the older boy's torso, his hand placed gently on the other's stomach. Joonmyun's arms were wrapped around Sehun's shoulders and back, holding the boy close to him.

 

      The air around them was comfortable and full of warmth, despite the increasingly cold weather. Sehun was just beginning to doze off when he felt something strange push against the palm of his hand. He opened his eyes and glanced down at Joonmyun's stomach. He felt something press against his hand again and he gasped. He glanced up at Joonmyun, who looked rather confused.

      “Joonmyun...” Sehun muttered. “The baby...is kicking...”

      “R-Really?” The older gasped, his eyes wide.  
      “Yeah...It's kicking!” Sehun exclaimed, holding Joonmyun tighter. The older boy let out a sigh of relief and giggled a bit.

 

      Sehun wasn't sure why he was so excited. Something about feeling the baby move just really got to him. His own baby's movement hadn't excited him in the least. He'd actually detested it at the time. Feeling Joonmyun's baby – no, their baby – move was an amazing feeling.

      “The baby moving means it's healthy, right?” Joonmyun asked nervously.

      “Of course it does! Babies are supposed to start moving around this time, right?”

      “Y-Yeah...The doctor said it should start kicking soon last time I visited him...”

      “Then it's healthy. Let's hope the baby kicks often...”

      “Did your baby kick a lot, Sehun?” Joonmyun asked gently.

      “No...It didn't...” Sehun sighed.

      “I'm sorry...” Joonmyun mumbled. Sehun shook his head before resting it back on the other's chest.

      “It's alright. I'm not upset about it.”

      “You sure?”

      “Mhm.”

 

      Silence fell over the room once again. Sehun continued to rub Joonmyun's stomach, feeling the small kicks from the baby until he dozed off. He hadn't even realized that he'd fallen asleep until he heard Joonmyun gasp. He opened his eyes and looked up at the other boy.

      “What is it?”

      “Huh? Oh...nothing big...I just remembered I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow...”

      “Is that so?”

      “Yeah...”

      “Do you want me to take you?”

      “Don't you have work?”

      “No, I have another day off.”

      “Would you be willing to?”

      “Of course! I'd feel better if I took you...I get nervous when I think of you trying to go there on your own...”

      “It's not that bad...I've done it by myself up until now...And I've been feeling better lately too...”

      “Really!? When was the last time you threw up?”

      “Hmmm...Maybe about a week ago? I've been doing a lot better, honestly! I can even finish cleaning your house without getting sick!”

      “That's good...” Sehun sighed happily.

      “I'd still love for you to take me though...”

      “Of course,” Sehun said softly, nuzzling his nose into Joonmyun's neck. “We can go shopping for groceries afterwards if you're feeling up to it...”

      “That would be great! I miss going out...and of course I want to be with you...”

 

      Sehun chuckled a bit. He was already starting to doze off again. He hated that work made him so tired, but Joonmyun also made him so relaxed that he would probably still sleep even if he had had enough sleep. Before he could go back to sleep though, Joonmyun addressed him.

      “Hey Sehun...”

      “Hm?”

      “Is it really ok...that we just do this?”

      “What do you mean?”

      “Is it ok that we aren't sleeping together...in THAT way, I mean...”

      “Oh...” Sehun mumbled.

      “It's been a while since you had sex...Do you miss it?”

      “I do, I guess...but I don't really need it...I mean, I want to have sex with you again sometime...but for now, I don't think we need to...You've been way too sickly for it lately anyways...”

      “I'm sorry...”

      “Joonmyun, it's ok. We don't need to have sex with each other to be happy, right?”

      “No...We don't,” Joonmyun answered weakly. “I just want you to be happy...”

      “Well, I think I'm happy enough like this...Are you happy?”

      “Of course! I'm always happy when I'm with you...” The older mumbled, his cheeks turning pink. Sehun smiled and hugged him tightly.

      “Then that's all that matters, ok?”

 

      Joonmyun nodded and snuggled closer to Sehun. He didn't say anything else, but there were words stuck on the tip of his tongue. Words he'd never understood until now, and words he longed to say to the boy in his arms. He loved Oh Sehun.

 

~*~

      The following day, the two boys woke up relatively early. They went to the kitchen and began cooking breakfast together. Sehun still did most of the work, but Joonmyun didn't really mind. The two then sat down and ate breakfast together. After that, they got ready to go and bundled up in their long coats. Joonmyun's didn't quite fit around his stomach though, so Sehun made him wear a sweater underneath so he'd be warm enough. They would need to get Joonmyun some more clothes since he was starting to get rounder at a faster pace.

 

      The two headed out the door shortly after. They huddled close to each other as they walked up the street, though not close enough to be considered a public display of affection. It was just close enough to keep each other at least slightly warm.

 

      The walk to the hospital wasn't long, but it was definitely cold. When they finally arrived, Sehun stopped at the bottom of the steps and sighed.

      “I'm not going in with you, ok? We don't know if the enforcement committee is there...”

      “Alright...But where will you go?”

      “See that coffee shop across the street?” Sehun asked, pointing. Joonmyun nodded. “I'll be there. Come there once you're done and we'll go shopping from there.”

      “Ok. I'll see you in a bit then...”

 

      They smiled at each other before parting. Joonmyun waddled up the steps and into the hospital. He let out a relieved sigh as the warmth from the building engulfed him. He checked in at the front desk then went to the waiting room and took a seat.

 

      He was off in his own world for the most part, thinking about Sehun. He couldn't even remember the time when his world had revolved around himself. Now it seemed like it was all about Sehun and their baby. How he wished they could keep their baby, but just as Sehun had told him in the past, that wasn't how things worked in their society.

 

      He was just beginning to contemplate the faults of their society when a scream rang through the waiting room. Joonmyun jumped and turned to face the source of yet another scream. His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped when his eyes connected with the person.

 

      It was Amber. She was surrounded by several men in uniform, being pulled towards the back of the hospital by them. They were from the enforcement committee. She was trying to fight against them, but it was no use. Where was Henry though? Why wasn't he there with her, trying to fight them off? Another scream from Amber broke Joonmyun out of his panicked thoughts.

      “NOO!!! LET ME GO!!!!”

      “We can't do that. You need to be filed into the system as pregnant,” a man from the committee answered, tugging her forward.

      “NOOOOOO!!! LET GOOOOOO!!!” She cried. The men just ignored her though.

 

      Joonmyun got to his feet and took a step forward, contemplating his prospects if he tried to help her. There was no way he could take all the men on by himself. Even if he weren't pregnant, he probably wouldn't be able to. Still, Amber needed help.

 

      He took another step forward, but stopped dead in his tracks once he noticed something. One of the committee members was staring straight at him, smirking. The member leaned closer to another member and whispered into their ear. Joonmyun saw the latter turn and look at him and his heart sunk into his stomach. Were they looking for him too? Was that why Sehun had been attacked a week ago?

 

      Joonmyun took a step back, debating what he should do. He glanced at Amber and noticed she was staring at him with teary, pleading eyes. Her eyes darted from him to the door and she jerked her head in that direction. Joonmyun knew she was trying to tell him to get out. He clenched his fists before rushing out of the waiting room and out of the hospital, ignoring the nurses and clerks that called out to him as well as the cries from Amber that seemed to echo through the entire hospital.

 

      Once he was outside, he rushed towards the coffee shop. When he got inside, he glanced around frantically, trying to find Sehun. When he finally saw the younger, he rushed over to him. Sehun noticed him as well and quickly got to his feet, his eyes wide with worry. When the two met, Joonmyun immediately wrapped his arms around Sehun, but the latter pushed them down, giving his hands a gentle squeeze instead before letting go.

      “Hey, we can't do that here...” He whispered. He only received a sob from Joonmyun. “Hey...Hey, what's wrong?” Sehun asked frantically. Joonmyun shook his head as another sob escaped.

      “They have Amber...They found her...” He whispered.

      “Shit...” Sehun hissed. “Where was Henry?”

      “I don't know...She was alone and there were so many of them...Two of them were staring at me too...I'm scared...”

      “Fuck...We're going home now, Joonmyun. Come on.”

 

      Sehun tugged Joonmyun along behind him and they headed out of the coffee shop. Sehun walked quickly, almost too quickly for Joonmyun to keep up, but the latter didn't say anything. He wanted to be as far away from that place as possible.

 

      After they were a decent distance from the hospital, Sehun looked behind them to make sure they weren't being followed. He then turned his attention to the older boy, who was still crying silently. Sehun pulled him closer and Joonmyun wrapped his arms around him. This time, Sehun didn't stop him. Instead, he wrapped his own hand around Joonmyun's waist and started guiding him along the road slowly.

      “I shouldn't have left her...” Joonmyun mumbled.

      “There was nothing you could do...You weren't safe either,” Sehun soothed.

      “I still shouldn't have abandoned her...”

      “Amber will be fine. She's a strong girl.”

      “Do you really think so? They've probably found out she's a girl by now...and she's pregnant...”

      “Joonmyun...We're going to have to believe in her, alright? We can't go against the committee...There're only 2 of us against who knows how many of them...All we can do is try and stay safe...”

      “I hate this...” Joonmyun whispered. “I hate the committee...I hate this town...I hate this society...”

      “I know,” Sehun whispered sadly. “I know...But it's going to be ok...Everything will be ok.” Sehun didn't really believe those words, but it was all he could say to calm down Joonmyun.

      “I hope so...” The older whispered.

 

      The rest of the journey home was silent, but not the comfortable silence the two usually had. They were both on edge, jumping at the smallest of sounds. They were both overjoyed when Sehun's house came into view.

 

      The younger hugged Joonmyun tightly to his side before leading him to the house and up the steps. Joonmyun managed to smiled at him. He was thankful Sehun was with him. Once upon a time, he had planned to go through this pregnancy alone. He doubted he would have made it this far though. Sehun was what kept him going, and he wanted to let the younger boy know that.

 

      Sehun opened the door and pushed Joonmyun inside gently. As he was going through the door frame himself, Joonmyun turned around and wrapped his arms around the younger's neck. He got on his tip-toes so his lips could be closer to the younger's ear.

      “I love you,” he whispered so softly he could hardly hear himself.

 

      He knew Sehun had heard him though, since the younger wrapped his arms around his back. Joonmyun kissed his temple before snuggling against Sehun's chest. The younger rocked him from side to side, letting the door fall shut behind him. They spent the rest of the evening trying to calm down, and praying that they would be ok. Finally, they settled into bed and went to sleep.

 

      What they didn't know was security cameras had secretly been set up throughout the entire city, and one had caught them on tape.


	19. Chapter 19

      Sehun and Joonmyun woke up abruptly by the sound of pounding on the door. Joonmyun's heart immediately began racing and he glanced nervously at Sehun. No one ever came to see them, especially this early, and he had learned in the past that harsh banging on the door was never a good sign.

 

      He clung to Sehun, shaking slightly. The younger hugged him firmly, rubbing his back and trying to calm him down. He was horrified himself though, so there wasn't much he could really do to calm the other boy. He couldn't think of anyone who would come to his door other than the enforcement committee, but he couldn't figure out how they would know to come. He had glanced around the entire trip home yesterday and he didn't spot even one member. So how could they have found them?

 

      The younger let out a shaky sigh before letting go of Joonmyun and pushing himself up in bed. Without looking at the other boy, he got out of bed and walked over to the closet, pulling out clothes for the both of them.

      “Get dressed, ok? Try not to take too long. I'll go see who it is...”

      “Wait...What if it's...them...”

      “Joonmyun, I'm fully expecting it to be them,” Sehun whispered before leaving the room.

 

      Joonmyun stayed on the bed, staring after Sehun for a few minutes. Hearing the pounding on the door again jolted him out of his daze though. Reality was starting to sink in. They might really be arrested in just a few minutes. If they were taken by the enforcement committee, what would happen to them? Would they be killed? No one ever knew what happened to the people that were taken. Nobody really questioned it. Joonmyun knew one thing though. He would protect Sehun no matter what.

 

      The pounding on the door became more violent. Sehun growled as he fumbled into his clothes. He knew he and Joonmyun wouldn't have avoided the enforcement committee forever. Still, he was praying that it wasn't the committee at his doorstep. He was definitely afraid of going against the committee. More than that, however, he was afraid they would take Joonmyun from him.

 

      The pounding on the door became even more violent and Sehun could hear men shouting outside. He rushed to the door in time to hear one voice stand out over the others.

      “If this door is not opened within the next 30 seconds, we will take necessary actions and use force!” Sehun began to turn the handle, dreading who would be waiting on the other side for him.

      “Alright, alright. It takes a while to get to the door. Be patient,” he sighed, not really caring at this point that he was being rude.

 

      To Sehun's expectation and dismay, there were 6 different enforcement committee members waiting on his doorstep. The one who had shouted earlier walked up to him, so that his face was level with Sehun's.

      “Oh Sehun, you have been hiding Kim Joonmyun in your house and feigning ignorance.”

      “What's your proof of that?” Sehun asked, trying to keep his voice steady and his face neutral. He wasn't going to give in just yet.

      “He's been seen with you on numerous occasions and it was reported that he entered your house alongside you last night. He's yet to have been seen leaving.” Sehun bit at the inside of his cheek. Who could have seen Joonmyun entering his house last night?

      “Perhaps he did come home with me last night, but what's that matter? It's not like he has to return to his home every night.”

      “Normally, it wouldn't raise suspicion, however, it's been 4 months since Kim Joonmyun last went to his home. Our records of him staying at your house coincide with this time frame. Naturally, we've drawn the conclusion that you two have been staying together for 4 months. This is a cause for great concern.”

      “I don't see why...” Sehun responded.

      “It's against the constructs of society. You should know that it's a grave offense.”

 

      Sehun rolled his eyes. Of course they would only offer a roundabout answer like that. He doubted the committee members even knew what was so wrong in the first place. They were all just simple-minded pawns functioning under the rules that have been programmed into them since birth.

      “You and Kim Joonmyun are hereby under arrest by the enforcement committee,” the man stated, getting even closer to Sehun. “You may come quietly, or we can resort to force. The choice is yours.”

 

      Sehun didn't make any movements. He knew fighting back was pointless, so he was prepared to go with them. His lack of action didn't come off as complete compliance for the man in front of him though. The man signaled to the other members to move in before rushing into Sehun. The younger was soon thrust against a wall, then seized by two men. Sehun took it all in stride until he heard a soft, scared voice call out.

      “Sehun...?”

 

      The next thing Sehun knew, three men had grabbed at Joonmyun and were pulling him roughly towards the door. The older wasn't fighting back, but he was struggling to remain steady on his feet as the men pushed him about. That infuriated Sehun.

      “He's pregnant, you bastards! The least you could do is treat him gently! Even if he's a prisoner, that doesn't give you the right to harm him. Your orders were just to arrest us, right?”

 

      The man who had spoken to Sehun at the door shouted orders at the other men. Soon, Joonmyun was being held carefully and guided along gently. The two men holding Sehun pushed him along, following after the others. When they got to the door, Sehun stopped, pulling slightly against his guards.

      “Can we put on jackets. It's too cold to be out without them. I promise we won't run.”

      “Very well. Keep to your word if you know what's good for you.”

 

      Sehun nodded and was released reluctantly by the men holding him. He grabbed the jackets from the coat rack and handed one to Joonmyun. They exchanged sad, knowing glances with each other. They both wanted nothing more than to hold each other and enjoy a morning of peace. They knew their peaceful mornings were over though.

 

      Soon, their coats and shoes were on and the men were holding them again, leading them out of the house. They were lead down the streets to an abandoned factory near the train station. Sehun was confused as to why. Were they actually going to just dispose of them in a place where no one would ever come? The idea was certainly a possibility with this society.

 

      They were surprised when they entered the building, however. Instead of being worn down, like the exterior, the inside of the building was polished and pristine. Men in uniform were scattered throughout the main lobby. Was this the secret headquarters of the enforcement committee?

 

      Sehun and Joonmyun were then lead down a hallway. Thankfully, the men with them took them into an elevator. Sehun doubted Joonmyun could climb a large amount of stairs. Again to their surprise, instead of a committee member hitting a button for one of the higher floors, they were sent to the basement level. The basement level of factories was where the members of the simple class were often kept and taken care of. Why would they take them there?

 

      When the elevator doors opened, the two boys were lead down another series of hallways. Eventually they came to a room that might have once functioned as a cafeteria. Now, it was a dimply lit room filled with rows of pews. There was someone sitting in one of the rows as well.

 

      The men holding Joonmyun and Sehun pushed them forward, finally letting go. The two boys glanced back at them questioningly and one of the men spoke up.

      “You'll wait here until you're summoned.”

 

      With that, the men left. Joonmyun and Sehun glanced nervously at each other before taking a look around the room. There were guards stationed at the corners of the room still, so the two knew better than to try anything. Instead, their attention went to the person sitting in one of the pews. They both walked over cautiously. When they got to the pew, they recognized the person immediately.

      “Amber!” Joonmyun gasped. The girl glanced up at him, looking completely defeated.

      “Joonmyun?” She whispered. “What are you doing here? Did they catch you too?”

      “Yeah...There's really no escaping in this city after all...”

      “You could say that again,” Amber sighed.

 

      The two boys walked over and sat down beside her. This was the first time Joonmyun had really gotten a good look at Amber in months. He'd really missed her. Her face was covered in small bruises and she seemed a bit roughed up, but nothing terribly bad thankfully. She'd gotten substantially rounder too and Joonmyun had to wonder if he was really supposed to be as tiny as he was. Amber was only a month ahead of him, but she was already much bigger.

 

      Amber was looking Joonmyun over as well. Almost instantly, her hand went to his stomach. She rubbed it gently, a soft smile curling unconsciously onto her face. She then checked his face for injuries. After, she glanced Sehun over with the same level of concern. The younger was surprised she was actually giving him any attention at all. They hadn't ever been on close terms and Sehun wouldn't have been surprised if Amber hated him for what he had put Joonmyun through. Still, her concern was appreciated. Soon, Amber spoke up.

      “Thank goodness you two are together and well...”

      “Where's Henry?” Sehun asked quietly.

      “He's....in that room...” Amber said sadly, pointing to a closed door in the corner. “That's where we'll have some sort of hearing I guess...Henry got called in first...”

      “So then...He got pulled into this as well?” Joonmyun asked.

      “Yeah...I told him he should have let me go, but he insisted on staying with me...When the enforcement committee came, he tried so hard to fight them off...He was completely overpowered though and they beat him unconscious...Then they took me to the hospital to get checked...”

      “That's when I saw you...What happened after I left?” Joonmyun asked.

      “Well, you can imagine. The doctors were horrified that I didn't have a penis...They'd never seen a woman before...The enforcement committee rushed me out of there as fast as they could and took me here...”

      “So...you've been here since then?”

      “Mhm...”

      “And you haven't seen Henry?”

      “I saw him long enough to watch them drag him into that room...Even then, he was trying to get to my side...Damn idiot...”

 

      Joonmyun could tell that even though Amber was saying harsh things about Henry, she was genuinely worried and upset about him. Her voice was shaking and she was holding back tears. Joonmyun patted her back a few times. Sehun was the next to speak up.

      “Amber...how did you two get caught?”

      “I don't know...” Amber whispered. “I have a guess, but I don't know how they could have seen...”

      “What's that?” Joonmyun asked.

      “Well...Remember that time when you were really upset at work and you wrapped your arms around me?”

      “Yeah...”

      “Well...There was a time when I was really upset...I couldn't stand being inside Henry's house any longer...I needed new scenery...but I knew I couldn't go out...So I was crying and was frustrated...When Henry heard, he came over to me...I did what you did and wrapped my arms around him...He did the same and held me til I stopped crying and I dunno...It felt nice. So we started doing it more often...I'd even do it when he came home from work...The only thing that I can think of that would have given us away is if they saw me hold him when he came home...That was the closest I ever got to leaving the house...”

      “So you think they were paying that close of attention to you?” Sehun asked.

      “Who knows...There's no other way they could have even known that I was there.”

      “That's how I feel about them finding Joonmyun, actually...There was no way they could have known unless they were keeping that close of a watch on us...” The youngest sighed.

 

      There was an awkward silence between the three. Nobody really knew what was going on or what was going to become of them. Eventually, Joonmyun spoke up.

      “Amber...That thing that you and Henry did...It's called a hug...”

      “Really?”

      “Mhm.”

      “It's nice...”

      “I think so too...”

 

      Before the conversation could evolve into more, the door was opened. A committee member stepped out and glared at the three seated in the pew.

      “You'll be seen now,” he stated before stepping to the side and motioning to the room beyond the door.

 

      The three got up from the pew. Amber walked out first, followed by Joonmyun. Sehun placed his hands on the older's shoulders and gave them a firm squeeze. Joonmyun took a deep breath. No matter what happened to him, he needed to make sure Sehun would be alright. He couldn't make the younger take the fall with him. It was his fault Sehun had gotten into this much trouble after all.

 

      When they entered the room, they found that it was rather small and square. There was a desk in the center, where a middle-aged man was seated. Standing in front of the desk was Henry. He'd certainly seen better days. His lip was busted and he had a black eye. Every inch of his skin that was visible had a bruise or a cut on it.

  
      Amber gasped and walked quickly over to him. She timidly grabbed his arm, causing him to hiss in pain, and began inspecting injuries, ignoring the menacing man behind the desk. Sehun placed his hand on Joonmyun's lower back and guided him towards Amber and Henry. When they were all in front of the man, he smirked and began to speak.

      “You all are quite something...You probably don't even know the full extent of your actions...”

      “I don't think we do,” Henry dared to speak up. “I see nothing wrong with our actions. Care to explain?”

      “Lau Henry, you've been arrested for getting involved with the opposite sex, a crime that hasn't been committed in centuries. Liu Amber, you're under arrest for the crime of infiltrating the male society and interfering with its very structure. You have the greatest offense. Kim Joonmyun and Oh Sehun, you're both under arrest for taking part in ancient, heretical practices.”

      “Heretical?” Sehun scoffed. The man merely gave him an amused smirk.

 

      Joonmyun bit his lip, contemplating what he should do. Finally, he decided. He let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he stared straight at the man, his hands clenched in fists at his sides.

      “Sehun had nothing to do with this,” he stated.

 

      Amber and Henry looked at him in surprise. Joonmyun could tell Sehun was also looking at him, dumbfounded, but he couldn't bring himself to look at the younger. He knew he would loose the will to do this alone if he looked into the other boy's eyes.

      “Is that so?” The man asked, raising an eyebrow.

      “Yes...I forced him to partake in all those actions...I threatened him so he wouldn't tell anybody...”

      “Joonmyu-” Sehun started.

      “Sehun wasn't at fault. He was only going along with what I said.”

      “You're awfully considerate, telling me all of this...” The man stated. “Anyone in your position would normally be trying to get themselves out of trouble instead...”

      “I believe in honesty, sir,” Joonmyun stated. “Besides...you've probably got ample amounts of proof showing that I was the one that instigated this and not him, right?”

      “This is true...”

      “So I'm going to challenge your enforcement committee. Will they let an innocent person go, or will they act in a corrupt way and make him suffer injustice?”

      “You really like to challenge the way things work around here, don't you?” The man sneered. “Very well. Oh Sehun may leave. However, realize this, Oh Sehun: you will be watched 24/7 to be sure that you aren't acting in an improper way. See him out.”

 

      With that, two guards grabbed the still-in-shock Sehun. As he was pushed towards the door, he snapped out of his daze though and began to struggle a bit. He tried to call out for Joonmyun, but the door was shut before he could get anything out.

 

      There was only Joonmyun, Amber, and Henry now. Amber glanced from the door to the man.

      “You let him go awfully easily...” She stated.

      “Perhaps...Perhaps not...Just as Joonmyun challenged the law, I have now challenged Oh Sehun...How will he act now? I have a feeling I know...”

 

      Joonmyun gulped. He could only pray that Sehun would understand, that he wouldn't do anything rash or crazy. At the very least, he had the chance to go back to how he used to live. Joonmyun wouldn't be so lucky. The man smirked yet again and stared each one of them in the eyes.

      “Now then...How shall we deal with your offenses...”


	20. Chapter 20

      “Now then...How shall we deal with your offenses...”

 

      Amber gulped and unconsciously shifted closer to Henry. The other cautiously wrapped his arm around her waist. Joonmyun remained as he was, trying to calm his beating heart. He timidly began speaking again, the strength and willpower leaving him.

      “Are you...going to kill us...?” He asked, afraid of the answer.

      “Hmmm...That is an option...”

      “An option?” Amber asked, disgusted with how lightly the man was treating their lives. “Just who are you anyways?”

      “Lee Sangmin of the intellectual class, leader of the enforcement committee and overseer of society.”

      “So...The head honcho pretty much?” Henry asked.

      “Yes, you could say that.”

      “How the hell did you get that job...I thought there wasn't such a thing as a ruler in the city...” Amber snapped.

      “Oh come now...Someone has to be governing the city. Otherwise there would be no order. You can't believe that you all run on your own perfectly. Humans are flawed. There needs to be structure and a leader to keep them in check.”

      “But what if their leader is flawed?” Amber asked, glaring at the man.

      “That is indeed a problem. But I can tell you now, I'm not as flawed as you believe I am. In fact, I consider myself one of the kinder overseers. It's out of my kindness that I've brought the 3 of you here instead of letting you roam about the city, causing an uproar and confusion with your actions.”

      “What's so bad about how we act though?” Joonmyun asked.

      “Ahh, yes...Well, in the days of old, nothing was wrong with it. But when men and women split, survival became far more important than things like feelings. They brought about jealousy and conflict, and at the time, we couldn't afford to have such feelings. So the society was fashioned into what it is today.”

      “But...We're thriving...” Henry mumbled.

      “Barely,” the man sighed. “We lose people daily still, be it to unfortunate incidents, death from old age or other causes, or exile.”

      “Exile!?” Amber gasped.

      “Yes...It's generally the decision I make for people in your positions...”

      “You mean there have been others like us!?” Joonmyun asked, feeling a strange sense of hope despite the situation.

      “Oh yes, plenty. Past overseers might have killed them...But a dear friend of mine turned out to be one of the heretical fools. After discussing, we reached the conclusion to simply exile the heretics from the city.”

      “But what happens to them outside the city?” Henry asked.

      “Anything could happen. Outside the city isn't safe and there's no modern technology. That struggle is theirs to face though. Not mine.”

      “So you abandon them essentially...” Amber said darkly.

      “It's better than killing them. Only the harshest of faults receive that sort of treatment...For instance, the man that attacked you twice, Kim Joonmyun...He suffered this fate...”

      “So then he's...” Joonmyun muttered.

      “Yes...But like I said, you don't have to die. You can choose exile over that and live.”

      “You seem to really like playing god,” Amber hissed.

      “It's my given mission in life. The people live in peace and ignorance. Society functions that way. I make hard decisions so that they can continue in this simple way.”

      “Oh what? Like choosing to exile those who are different?” She snapped. “How did you even keep tabs on us!?”

      “Simple enough. We set up security cameras throughout the city. They caught you on camera, so we knew.”

      “How could they catch us on camera!? Did you have them angled to peer inside the houses? What happened to privacy!?”

      “Initially, they didn't peer into the houses. The cameras came about in the first place because a member of the intellectual class suffered a fate like that of Oh Sehun...” Joonmyun's eyes widened. “Oh yes. Don't think I don't know what happened to him. I was the one who put his rapist to death.”

 

      Amber and Henry both turned to Joonmyun, their eyes full of question. Sehun probably didn't want them to know this, but it was too late now. Joonmyun would probably have to explain the details to them later. Then again, he didn't even know much about it, now that he thought about it. Sangmin began speaking again, interrupting Joonmyun's thoughts.

      “Anyways, after that incident, we strengthened security and the night watch. Unfortunately, this intellectual class member fell into heretical practices with another boy from the working class, so they were both exiled. Since then, we've been keeping a closer watch on the city. We've found quite a few people living the way you are, and unfortunately, our society just can't accommodate it.”

      “So you throw them out...” Henry sighed.

      “I think of it as giving them a chance to govern themselves. You've all gone beyond the scope of this society. You've begun to think for yourselves. That's dangerous to keep here, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't be allowed to think elsewhere...”

      “So...Since we're not allowed to stay here...we're just going to leave through the front gates of the city?” Amber asked incredulously.

      “Yes...You'll stay here for now and won't be allowed to contact anyone from the city...You'll be escorted out tomorrow by the guards...”

      “Tomorrow?” Joonmyun asked, surprised.

      “Yes. It will be night soon...So unless you'd like to be thrown out into the wilderness at night when you can't see, you'll be staying here for the night.”

      “You're just a combination of consideration and asshole, aren't you?” Amber said irritably. Sangmin laughed dryly.

      “I suppose...The guards will show you to your cells now.”

 

      A set of enforcement committee members entered the room and walked over to the group. They were taken from the small office and lead out of the large room. They were then taken down a series of hallways to a section of the basement consisting of many small rooms. The rooms were most likely used as sleeping quarters for the simple class before the factory was turned into the enforcement committee headquarters. Now, they were prison cells.

 

      Amber, Henry, and Joonmyun were each put in a separate room. The doors were shut immediately afterward and locked. There was a small window at eye level on the door, so they could still see out into the hall, not that there was much to see. That window provided most of the light in the small room as well.

 

      Joonmyun searched around the room a bit for a light switch, tripping a couple times since it was so dark, but thankfully he didn't fall over. Finally, he gave up his search and sat down on the bed in the corner. It was old and the springs cried out as Joonmyun put his weight on them. He had to wonder if it would even support him.

 

      After sitting there for a few minutes, waiting to see if the bed would break, he figured it was fine and he laid down on his back, sighing heavily. He rubbed his stomach and stared up at the ceiling. He wanted to be with Sehun. He didn't want to be here in the dark, all alone, but he didn't want Sehun to have to suffer through this either. Sehun didn't seem as deep into the relationship as he was, so he figured the younger could get over it in time. Sehun would be ok without him.

 

      Would he be ok without Sehun though? He honestly doubted he would be. He was completely in love with him. Was love something that faded? It didn't feel like it would to Joonmyun. He didn't think he'd ever get over Sehun, and he didn't want to. Even if he had to love him from a distance and it was one-sided, he would still love Sehun.

 

      He sighed and closed his eyes, rubbing his face with his hands. He was exhausted, but the bed was anything but comfortable. His stomach was growling and aching as well. He hadn't eaten anything that day. It was no wonder he was so tired. He groaned and tried to ignore his stomach. If he could just get to sleep, it would all go away, at least for a little while.

 

      He was just beginning to doze off when he felt soft fluttering from the baby. He sighed again and rubbed his stomach. The baby probably wasn't overly happy with the situation either, he figured.

      “I know, little one...We'll get food soon...Just hold on, ok?” He soothed.

 

      He wasn't sure why he was talking to the baby. Nobody in their society really did that. Maybe he was just so attached to it and already so lonely that he needed to talk to his baby. It was a nice feeling though, and he liked to think that the baby could hear him as well. He wasn't sure if that was just wishful thinking though. He didn't really know the first thing about how babies grew, despite the fact that his job in life was supposed to be giving birth to them.

 

      A thought dawned on him then. He was getting kicked out of the society while pregnant. That meant his baby was leaving with him. He would get to keep his baby, wouldn't he? That meant he was going to be a parent. His heart swelled with joy and he gave his stomach a few more gentle rubs. He didn't know the first thing about being a parent, but he would do his best to make it work.

 

      He continued to rub his stomach and eventually, the baby settled down. Joonmyun could feel sleep biting at him and he was more than happy to let it take him. He whispered one last thing before succumbing to his exhaustion.

      “It's ok, little one. Daddy will take care of you...”

 

~*~

      The following morning, a loud pounding on the door woke Joonmyun from his sleep, He groggily sat up. The door opened and a guard walked in with a tray of food. It didn't look all that tasty, but Joonmyun was far too hungry to complain or be picky. He was thankful that his illness had finally calmed down. He couldn't even imagine trying to go through this while throwing up and feeling like he was going to pass out all the time.

 

      The guard came back a little while later. Thankfully, Joonmyun had finished eating already. The guard motioned for Joonmyun to exit the room. The latter complied, not really having much of a choice. He wasn't even sure what awaited him outside the city. He'd never been there before.

 

      Amber and Henry joined them along the way. They were all lead outside of the factory and towards the city walls. The journey was completely silent. Amber and Henry had as little will to fight back as Joonmyun, so the transition was rather smooth.

 

      As they walked along, Joonmyun couldn't help but steal glances at the city. He wasn't going to miss the city in the least. He was, however, going to miss Sehun terribly. He hadn't even gotten the chance to say goodbye to the boy. He knew the younger didn't love him, but he would have liked to think that they were on good terms with each other and there were at least some deep feelings between the two.

 

      When they got to the city gates, the guards pushed the three forward, giving them stern looks. Amber awkwardly stepped towards the gate and Henry and Joonmyun followed after her. As they were about to leave, one of the committee members spoke up.

      “Should you come back, you'll face severe penalties. Death would be very likely. Take this as your warning.”

      “Thanks, but I doubt we'd want to come back to this shithole,” Amber retorted before stepping through the gate.

 

      Joonmyun and Henry followed quickly after her, not wanting to deal with the wrath of the committee members that she may have caused. When they were outside, they glanced around. Outside the city walls was a vast forest. Joonmyun had never seen so many trees together before. In fact, trees were scarce in their city. He had to wonder why. They were so beautiful now that he could see them in their full glory.

 

      A strong wind blew by and immediately, all three of them shivered and huddled close together. Henry groaned and looked around again.

      “Now what...?” He asked.

      “I'm not sure,” Amber sighed. “They basically left us to die...”  
      “You've been outside the city before, right Amber? Is there anywhere we can go?” Joonmyun asked.

      “I always went to the female city for my checkups and stuff...I haven't been since I was 3 months along though...I'm way overdue for a checkup...”

      “Do you need one?” Henry asked.

      “Probably...I mean, I'm not a doctor so I don't know if the baby and I are healthy...Joonmyun, when was the last time you went?”

      “Hmm? A couple weeks ago...I was supposed to go two days ago, but everything happened...”

      “You could probably use a checkup too then...”

      “But would they really look at me!? I'm a guy!”

      “My doctor's pretty understanding...She knew I was staying in the male city but she never said much about it...I'm sure she'd take care of you if you needed it. Besides...” She sighed, rubbing Joonmyun's stomach. “You're going to need someone to help you deliver the baby...She's our best shot, right?”

      “So...we're going from one society to the other? Is the female one any better than ours?” Henry asked.

      “Not really...but we're not on their radar just yet, so we might be able to hide and make it through...at least until the babies are born...”

      “So how far is it?” Henry asked.

      “It was about a day's journey by car, so walking........It's probably gonna take us a few weeks,” Amber sighed.

      “Then I guess we better start walking...” Henry groaned.

      “Yeah...Not much choice...”

 

      Amber took a few steps forward and Henry and Joonmyun started to follow her. Another gust of icy wind blew by though, and all three were once again stopped in their tracks.

      “You're not going to get very far traveling without good jackets...It gets pretty cold out here, right?” A voice said behind them.

 

      Joonmyun recognized the voice, but he was in a state of disbelief. They all turned around to see who was talking to them. Joonmyun couldn't believe his eyes.

      “Sehun...?”


	21. Chapter 21

      “Sehun...?”

 

      Said boy smiled softly at him and shrugged. Joonmyun quickly walked over, ignoring the cold wind. Amber and Henry followed after him.

      “What are you doing here?” Joonmyun asked.

      “Did you think I would stay in that hell by myself?” Sehun asked.

      “I...I don't know...I thought...”

      “What did you think?” Sehun asked, slightly irritated. “Why did you say I had nothing to do with this?”

      “I...”

      “Hey Sehun,” Amber broke in.

      “What?”

      “Henry and I are gonna give you two a couple minutes alone, alright? Be gentle...”

 

      Sehun nodded and watched the two walk away. Once they were gone, his attention turned back to Joonmyun, who was looking at him apologetically.

      “I didn't want you to suffer...” The older whispered.

      “Meaning?” Sehun asked, his voice completely calm.

      “I dragged you into this...I didn't want you to have to take the fall with me...”

      “Joonmyun...I wanted to take the fall with you...” Sehun practically whispered. He cupped the other's cheeks in his hands.

      “But...I went against the enforcement committee...We were exiled, Sehun...We can't ever go back...”

      “I know...But I want to be with you...If this had happened months ago, back when you first started living with me, I wouldn't have cared and probably would have happily turned you in...But it's different now...”

      “Different?”

      “Joonmyun...I really do want to be with you...After all this time, did you honestly think I had no feelings for you? I know I'm not as vocal as I should be, but...”

      “It's not that...I just...didn't think you'd leave everything behind for me...”

      “Of course I would,” Sehun said softly, pressing his lips to Joonmyun's nose.

 

      Joonmyun wrapped his arms around Sehun's torso. The younger's lips moved from his nose down to his lips, and his arms slid around Joonmyun's shoulders. Sehun nibbled at his lips, pressing a bit harder against them. Joonmyun kissed back, smiling a bit. It was the first time Sehun had ever initiated a kiss, and the older was already reeling from it.

 

      After a while, Sehun broke the kiss off and snuggled his nose into Joonmyun's neck, tightening his embrace on the other boy. Joonmyun sighed contentedly and rubbed the younger's back. They'd only been apart for a day, but it had reduced them to this state. He was beyond grateful that he wouldn't have to go on alone. His feelings had finally reached Sehun.

 

      Amber and Henry soon walked back. The former smiled mischievously before clearing her throat.

      “So...Everything sorted out?” She asked.

      “Yeah,” Joonmyun responded. Sehun loosened his grip a bit and stood straight again, but still held the older in his arms.

      “So how did you get here, Sehun?” Henry asked. “How did you know we were exiled...?”

      “Yeaaah...About that...” Sehun sighed. “I kinda...punched out the two guards who were holding me and the other ones in the room...so I stayed by the door and listened...I heard most of the conversation you guys had...I had to leave when I heard more guards coming...I kinda hid the evidence of me knocking the security guards out by stuffing them in a nearby closet...”

      “Wow...Convenient I guess...” Amber mumbled.

      “So after that, I raced back home...I packed up a few pairs of clothes and some food...then went and bought some more so that we'd all have some. Nobody in the city really knew I was on the run, thankfully. I got some jackets and things for you and Henry...I tried to get bigger sizes so that they'd fit even as your pregnancy progressed...”

      “Wooah...You're being really considerate and efficient, Sehun...I can almost see why Joonmyun likes you~”

      “I'll take that as a compliment,” Sehun responded. “The jackets are in these bags...Go ahead and grab them.”

 

      Henry grabbed one of the backpacks beside Sehun and pulled out a coat for him and Amber. At the same time, Sehun opened the other bag and pulled out a long jacket, wrapping it around Joonmyun seconds later. When they were all situated, Henry spoke up.

      “I guess now we have no choice but to walk...”

      “You should have stolen a car before you left, Sehun,” Amber teased.

      “Well, everyone has their shortcomings,” Sehun sighed. “Where exactly are you walking?”

      “The female city...Joonmyun and I are gonna need a doctor and I have one there.”

      “She'll take care of him?” Sehun asked softly, cuddling Joonmyun closer.

      “Yeah...She's a good person.”

      “Then I guess we really do start walking,” Sehun sighed.

 

      The others nodded in agreement and Amber began to lead the way. They moved slowly, since they had 2 pregnant people with them and the cold wind was trying its best to halt their movements. There was no way that that much walking was good for either Amber or Joonmyun, but they really had not choice. All they could do was keep moving.

 

      When it was starting to become darker, the group stopped. Amber and Joonmyun were resting, having completely exhausted themselves. Sehun and Henry gathered wood to create a fire. Once they were all snuggled together around a warm fire, Sehun pulled out a little bit of food for each of them. They were going to have to ration it off if they were going to make it to the female city. The odds of them finding things growing in the wilderness during winter that they could actually eat were slim.

 

      Joonmyun was rested against Sehun's body. The younger's arms were wrapped around him. It was a cold night, but they managed to keep each other warm. Joonmyun turned his head to the side and leaned it against Sehun's chest, listening to the pounding of the other's heart. He still couldn't believe that Sehun had voluntarily left for him. He never would have thought it was possible. He felt like he would be ok if Sehun was with him though.

 

      Sehun adjusted himself slightly then began rubbing Joonmyun's stomach. The baby wasn't kicking at that moment, but Sehun just loved holding the other's stomach.

      “Thank goodness they didn't do anything bad to you or the baby...” Sehun sighed into Joonmyun's hair, kissing his head gently afterwards.

      “He said they only do bad things to bad people...” Joonmyun said quietly.

      “I know...But that doesn't mean I wasn't scared...”  
      “Sehun...The man who raped you...He's not...He's not alive anymore...”

      “I know...” Sehun whispered almost inaudibly.

      “Sehun...Who was the man who raped you...?”

      “What?”

      “Was he someone in the factory? Or a random person?”

      “He was...my mentor...The one who was showing me how things worked in the class and preparing me to live on my own...Some could argue he took his “preparation” to the next level...but to me, it wasn't a lesson...it was a nightmare...”

      “I know...It's over now though...It'll be ok...”

      “So, Sehun...You were really raped?” Henry asked sadly.

      “Yeah...” He sighed. “It was when I was 16...I got pregnant too and they locked me up in the hospital for 9 months...” Amber and Henry exchanged gloomy looks.

      “So that's why you were hard on Joonmyun and he was therefore afraid to go to the doctor?” Amber asked.

      “Yeah...”

      “But it's in the past now, so let's not point fingers, ok?” Joonmyun asked, not wanting Amber to push Sehun too much. The girl just smiled slightly and nodded.

      “What about you, Amber?” Sehun asked, changing subjects. “How did you make it in the male city? How did you sneak in and manage to hide for so long...?”

      “Well, I came there when I was 16...I mean, I was weeks away from leaving my family unit back home anyways, so it wasn't much of a problem when I was abandoned I guess...I snuck into the city...I'd always had short hair cuz I liked it, so I blended in well...”

      “But...How did you get by with the official stuff? Like citizenship and being part of the birthing class? With high sperm count of all things?” Henry asked. Amber sighed.

      “Well, I forged the documents and snuck them into the official records with everyone else's...I have to be thankful the enforcement committee's security wasn't as high back then...”

      “So then...you always traveled to see your doctor?” Joonmyun asked.

      “Yeah, pretty much. Haven't seen her in months though...bet she's furious...”

      “But then, why didn't she make you stay once you traveled back? And why didn't you just travel back and stay there?”

      “Well, I personally liked it where I was...I'd done all that work to survive there safely, so once I had the ability to leave, it seemed like too much of a hassle. Of course, my doctor wanted me to come back to the female city...but she and I grew up together, so she knew how I was and respected my decision~”

      “You grew up together?” Joonmyun asked.

      “Mhm. You know how sometimes there's a shortage of family units to take care of the newborn babies?”

      “Yeah, I guess...”

      “Well, when that happens, they give a previous family unit another child to take care of. Looking at it now, it's a dangerous move since a bond could develop...but the children are usually both destined for different classes so they never see each other again...Anyways, she became my doctor, go figure.”

      “I didn't even know they did that...” Henry mumbled.

      “Yep. They do it in your city too. Structurally, the cities are almost identical...it's a bit ironic really...”

      “So you just faked everything and hung out with the men...Who would have ever thought something like that would happen...” Sehun said, laughing a bit at the end.

      “I did pretty well if I do say so myself~” Amber said happily.

 

      The group dissolved into small talk after that. As exhaustion began to get the better of them, Amber and Henry laid down on the ground, cuddled together. Amber was extremely careful with Henry since he was still in bad shape, making sure she didn't press against any of his bruises or wounds. Joonmyun couldn't help but find it endearing. He was sure they both felt something for each other, even if neither of them realized it.

 

      As the night went on, Sehun shifted his position as well. He moved from behind Joonmyun and instead lied down on the ground beside him. The older immediately noticed the younger's warmth leave him and he shivered. Sehun noticed and chuckled.

      “If you're cold, lay down with me.”

 

      Joonmyun didn't need to be told twice. He lowered himself down next to Sehun and scooted closer to the boy. Sehun wrapped his arms around him and Joonmyun did the same. Neither said anything for a while. Finally, Joonmyun spoke up.

      “I'm glad you're here with me, Sehun...”

      “I'm glad I am too...”

      “I was so scared after you left...I didn't know what would happen...”

      “I still don't know what's going to happen, Joonmyun...and I'm really scared too, honestly...”

      “We'll be alright though,” Joonmyun said confidently.

      “What makes you say that?” Sehun asked.

      “Because. We've worked so hard to make it this far...I think we both have what it takes to keep going...even if it's a struggle...”

      “I'm glad you have that much confidence...”

      “You don't?”

      “I don't think so...I'm not as strong as you think I am,” Sehun whispered.

      “But you want to be with me, right?”

      “Of course...”

      “Then it'll be ok. We'll be there for each other...” Sehun hummed in response and kissed Joonmyun's cheek.

      “Alright. I'll believe you.” Joonmyun giggled a bit.

      “Hey Sehun...You know what else?”

      “Hm?”

      “We get to keep the baby...We get to be parents...”

 

      Sehun's eyes widened a bit as he realized that fact. Sure, it made sense, but it was only now starting to sink in. They were going to be parents. He gulped.

      “I don't know the first thing about taking care of kids though...”

      “Neither do I,” Joonmyun sighed. “But we'll get to learn...I'm honestly kinda excited. Are you?” Sehun smiled and nodded.

      “I am. I'm still scared, but I'm also excited...”

      “We'll have to think of a name too...And we'll need clothes for the baby...Ah! There's so much stuff I'm thinking of now!”

      “We'll figure everything out one step at a time, ok? Baby's not coming for a while. So rest your head for now and sleep, alright?”

      “Alright...I love you, Sehun.”

 

      There was a pause, a moment of silence. Joonmyun didn't expect to hear anything in return. He was content just with the fact that Sehun wanted to be with him. He most certainly didn't expect the soft whisper that came from the younger boy, but it made his heart swell.

      “I love you too.”


	22. Chapter 22

      Joonmyun woke up early before the sun was even up, shivering nonstop. He glanced up at Sehun and noticed the boy was shivering as well. The weather outside the city really was harsh. He huddled closer to Sehun, trying to find a little bit of warmth. At the same time, he ran his hand up and down the boy's side, trying to warm him somehow.

 

      There was no way Joonmyun was going to go back to sleep at that point. He was way too cold. Sehun woke up shortly after Joonmyun started trying to warm him up. He looked at him with tired eyes and snuggled closer.

      “What's up?” He mumbled.

      “Nothing really...It's just cold...” Joonmyun whispered.

      “I know...I'm sorry...” Sehun whispered, wrapping his arms around Joonmyun and nuzzling his nose into the older's hair. “Think you'll get back to sleep?”

      “I don't think so...”

      “Me either...” Sehun sighed. “It's a lot colder out here than I realized...I should have gotten more jackets...”

      “We're just gonna have to make do with what we have.”

      “I guess...Do you wanna keep laying down or do you want to get up?”

      “The ground is cold...getting up might be best...”

      “Alright.”

 

      Sehun sat up, groaning since his body was cold and stiff. He got onto his knees and waited for Joonmyun to get up. The older boy had gotten up onto his elbows, but it seemed he was having trouble sitting up. Sehun grabbed his arms carefully and helped pull him the rest of the way up. Joonmyun hissed a bit and Sehun immediately stopped.

      “What's wrong?”

      “It's nothing. I'm just really stiff. My body just doesn't want to move...”

      “It's ok. We'll take it slowly, alright?”

 

      Sehun slowly helped Joonmyun to his feet. When they were both standing, they huddled close to each other, trying to stay warm. Soon, they began walking around, trying to get their bodies moving in hopes it would warm them up. They had to wonder if they would be able to do this every morning. It was way too cold to be sleeping in these conditions.

 

      Amber and Henry woke up a short while later, in the same state Sehun and Joonmyun had been in. When they were awake enough, Sehun dug out some breakfast for everyone. They ate in silence, wanting nothing more than to get back on their way. When they were finished, they stood up and looked at Amber. She sighed and began walking, leading the way.

 

      As the day went on, it warmed up slightly. They hadn't really made outstanding progress since the morning though. Traveling with two pregnant people meant a lot of rest stops. Along the way, Sehun noticed Joonmyun was going slower than he had been in the morning. He seemed to be stumbling on his feet almost. Sehun walked over to him and stopped him, rubbing his back.

      “What's wrong?” The younger asked.

      “Nothing...”

      “Joonmyun...”

      “My feet hurt...” The other sighed. “It's fine though. I can keep moving.”

      “Pushing yourself isn't ok, Joonmyun. Let me help you, alright?”

      “Help me?”

      “Mhm,” Sehun hummed.

 

      Sehun wrapped his arm around Joonmyun's back and placed his other arm at the back of the boy's knees. He scooped the older boy up in his arms and the latter quickly grabbed his shoulders so he didn't fall. Joonmyun stared at him with wide, concerned eyes.

      “You don't have to carry me...”

      “It's fine. I don't want you pushing yourself.”

      “But you shouldn't push yourself either...”

      “I'll be fine. You aren't that hard to carry.”

      “I'm not...heavy?”

      “Well, you're heavy, but not uncomfortably so. Just rest, ok? When you feel well-rested enough to walk again, let me know and I'll set you down.”

      “Ok...Thank you...”

      “Mhm.”

 

      Sehun caught back up with Amber and Henry, who hadn't noticed the other two had stopped. After a while, Amber was doing about as well as Joonmyun had been. At that point, Henry followed Sehun's actions and picked her up, despite her protests. Amber seemed a bit less open about her feelings than the other three, but even Sehun could tell that she really liked Henry and the way he treated her.

 

      They continued on for the remainder of the day. As the sun began to set in the sky, they stopped and began making a fire. There was no way they would get through the night without it. They ate a little more of the food Sehun had brought for them then went to bed, curled up with each other once again to try and maintain what little body warmth they had.

 

~*~

      They continued to wake early and walk until the sun started to set for the next few days. Despite their best efforts, they were covering very little ground. Amber and Joonmyun grew tired quickly and both Sehun and Henry were wearing down themselves. None of them were entirely sure they would make it to the female city at this point.

 

      The group was huddled around a fire after another long day of walking. Amber was out cold in Henry's lap, the latter snuggling her close. Sehun and Joonmyun sat across from them, on the other side of the fire.

 

      Joonmyun was rubbing his calves, groaning quietly. Sehun frowned as he watched the boy. He glanced over at Amber and Henry. They both looked utterly exhausted. Henry's injuries were slowly healing, but he still looked fairly bad. Sehun really wondered if they would be able to make it much longer. He turned back to the boy beside him and placed his hand on top of the other's.

      “You ok?” He asked.

      “My legs hurt...I'm really tired...”

      “I bet...” He whispered soothingly. “Can I see?”

 

      Joonmyun nodded. Sehun gently grabbed one of his legs and laid it on his lap. He began rubbing and massaging it, noticing it was swollen. He sighed.

      “You're tired too, aren't you?” Joonmyun asked.

      “Mhm. But I'll be fine. There's not much we can do...”

      “Do you know how close we are to the female city?”

      “No...What about you, Henry? Do you know?”

      “No...Amber's the one who knows...and she's exhausted, so I want her to sleep when she can...”

      “Yeah...I understand,” Sehun sighed. “Do you think we're gonna make it?” Joonmyun looked at him with sad, worried eyes and Henry sighed.

      “It's going to be hard...We haven't made much progress so far...”

      “We're going to run out of food at this rate,” Sehun stated. “I've been rationing it, but we're moving too slowly...”

      “We're just going to have to start looking for food then...”

      “It's winter...Do you think anything is even growing?” Sehun asked. “I don't think we'd be able to kill anything for meat either, given our current states...”

      “I don't know what else we can do though...”

      “It's going to get colder as well,” Sehun said quietly. Joonmyun grabbed the younger's arm that was nearest to him and cuddled against it.

      “We're just going to have to see what happens,” he whispered.

 

      The conversation ended there. Sehun finished massaging Joonmyun's leg and moved on to the other one. When he was done, he laid down on the ground and Joonmyun followed after him. Henry fell asleep sitting up, not wanting to disturb Amber in his lap.

 

~*~

      A couple more days went on. The group was slowing down, which didn't bode well at all. They were just too tired to walk such a long distance. It didn't help that the days as of late were particularly cold.

 

      Snow had begun to fall as they walked along. There was no sound other than the sounds of their steps and the chattering of teeth. That is, until the afternoon. As they were walking, they heard the sound of something low and bellowing. They looked around, trying to find the source of the noise. Amber's eyes went wide as she realized what it was.

      “It's an engine...There must be a car coming...”

      “Must be nice...” Sehun mumbled.

      “Maybe they could give us a lift...” Joonmyun muttered.

      “Do you think they're even heading where we are? And if they are, do you really think they'd take 3 guys into a female city?” Henry asked.

      “It's worth a shot...” Amber muttered.

      “What!?” Sehun gasped.

      “Sehun and Henry, pull your hoods over your heads. Just don't say anything, ok? Joonmyun, you look delicate enough to pass as a girl...just make your voice higher if you can, ok? I won't have any problems obviously...And if it's a group of guys driving by, well, we can all pass for guys too~”

 

      The group nodded hesitantly and did as told. Joonmyun grabbed Sehun's hand nervously and glanced towards the source of the noise. He honestly prayed that it was a car and that it was going the same direction as they were. He didn't think he could walk anymore in the cold and snow.

 

      Eventually, a large truck came into view. Amber began waving her arms frantically, calling out to the vehicle. The others waved their arms as well, though not as enthusiastically as Amber. Their hearts leaped for joy when they saw the large truck slowing to a stop before them.

 

      Amber walked over to the truck and looked inside, trying to figure out who was driving. Soon, she was greeted with the welcoming voice of another woman.

      “What are all of you doing out here in this weather!? And pregnant, no less!” The driver exclaimed.

      “Our car broke down. We were stranded out here! Do you think you could give us a lift back to the city? My friend and I are pregnant, and walking is killing us!” Amber answered

      “Of course! I don't really have room up front, but you're welcome to hop in the back! I'm transporting goods to the city. You can just hop out once we get there before I go to the storage building. Sound good?”

      “It sounds great! Thank you so much!”

 

      Amber walked around the truck to the back. The others followed, bowing slightly to the truck driver as a form of gratitude. When they reached the back, Henry and Sehun opened it. Boxes were stacked about, but there was room for them amidst it all. They helped Amber and Joonmyun inside then shut the back. Once the driver heard the back shut, she began driving again.

 

      It was dark inside the back of the truck. Still, it was better than being out in the snow on their feet. Amber sighed in relief and let out a small laugh.

      “Fate was on our side...”

      “She let us on really easily...” Joonmyun mumbled.

      “Well, yeah...There's no reason not to trust us in her opinion,” Amber responded. “Not only that, but 2 obviously pregnant people out in the snow asking for help is pretty hard to say 'no' to...”

      “So women still get pregnant in the female city?” Henry asked innocently.

      “Of course. Unlike you guys, we reproduce a bit differently. I don't know the official stuff, but the doctors use bone marrow to create the sperm needed to reproduce. The children produced used to have a lot of defects, but thanks to the advances of science and technology over the ages, it works great now~”

      “Wow...Who would have thought...” Sehun mumbled.

      “So...We're really going to the female city...” Joonmyun whispered.

      “Yeah. What's wrong? Are you scared?” Amber asked.

      “A little...I don't know how you could make it in our city by yourself...”

      “Well, it was hard at first...but you guys made it a lot easier, ya know? Don't worry, ok? My doctor will help us. We'll find ways to make things work.”

 

      Joonmyun nodded, hoping Amber could see the action in the dark. He felt strong arms pull him towards a body and soon felt soft lips press against his temple. He smiled and relaxed against the boy he'd come to love so much. If nothing else, he had Sehun with him.

 

      The truck drove on for quite some time. It didn't seem like all that much to them though, having walked for days before this point. They slept for most of the ride as well. Eventually, they felt the truck come to a halt. The back of the truck opened and they winced as light shown in their eyes.

      “We're here!” The truck driver stated. “I'm going to storage now, so this is as far as I can take you.”

      “Great! Thank you so much!” Amber stated.

 

      Henry and Sehun hopped out of the truck, their hoods still covering their faces. They each helped Joonmyun and Amber out afterward. The truck driver looked at them with wide eyes.

      “Oh my! You're awfully tall! I don't see girls this tall very often!”

      “They are! They're also really shy,” Amber said, laughing a bit.

      “I see~ Found yourself quite the catch, eh? Well, have a good day!”

      “You too!”

 

      They watched as the driver got back in the truck and rode off. When the coast was clear, Amber sighed. She turned to the group and smiled.

      “Alright...Follow me.”

 

      She lead them down the streets of the city. Joonmyun was surprised to find that it was extremely similar to their own city. There was a serious lack of forestation and the buildings were tall, gray, and bland. There was the same sort of dreary feeling to it as well. He didn't want to be back in that sort of atmosphere, but he needed a doctor. He would just have to bear with it.

 

      Eventually, they made it to a hospital. By this point, the sun was almost completely set in the sky. Rather than going in the front entrance, Amber lead them to a side entrance. The door was locked with a pin code, but Amber punched it in with ease. After that, they all went inside.

 

      The halls were barren and white. Joonmyun and Sehun both anticipated it to be like that. They reached for each other's hands and intertwined their fingers. They followed Amber as she walked down the empty corridor.

 

      After a few twists and turns, they made it to an elevator. They got inside and Amber pressed the button for one of the higher floors. When the elevator stopped, they got out. She lead them down a few more hallways and eventually they stopped at a room. She hesitated before knocking on the door. They heard a set of heels clacking on the ground and eventually the door opened. Amber smiled awkwardly at the woman before her.

      “Hey Victoria...Long time no see...” The woman took a deep breath, her eyes wide and expression almost irritable.

      “Amber Liu, what on earth have you been up to!?”


	23. Chapter 23

      Amber sighed and put her hands up in front of her as if to defend herself. Victoria continued to look at her with a perturbed expression.

      “Look...Things got really crazy...” Amber sighed. “And if I said I wasn't in trouble, I'd be lying...I really need your help...We all do...” Victoria glanced behind her at the others, then sighed.

      “Here isn't the place to talk. Follow me.”

 

      She began leading them down yet another series of hallways. After a while, they came to a dark hallway with two closed doors at the end. The girl named Victoria turned and smiled at all of them.

      “Now then...You should be safe in this hallway. The camera doesn't cover the entirety of the hall...and you haven't shown your faces either, so it should be ok. Would you like to tell me what's going on now?”

      “Well...It's a bit complicated...Basically, I was going about my business in the male city as usual...But once I started showing, I got paranoid about going out...So I was hiding in Henry's house...” Amber explained, motioning to Henry, who bowed awkwardly. Victoria nodded back.

      “And that's why you didn't come see me for 4 months, which by the way, is NOT ok.”

      “Yeah, yeah. I know...But that's why...Anyways, I don't know how long ago it was cuz I've lost track of time, but we were caught and they found out I was a girl.” Victoria's eyes widened.

      “How on earth are you still alive then?”

      “They gave me the option of leaving...They gave it to all of us...”

      “Awfully merciful of them...You probably would be killed here...”

      “I know...”

      “So then why did you come here? With three men, no less. And yes, I know they aren't women, I'm not stupid. And what's the story with the other two boys? You've only told me about Henry.”

      “Well...That's the thing...Joonmyun here is also pregnant...He got kicked out alongside me...and that leaves him with no doctor...He NEEDS one, Victoria...”

      “So you came here in hopes that I would be his doctor...”

      “Yes...Please...Do this for me...I know I put you through a lot...”

      “You can say that again,” Victoria sighed. After a moment, she spoke up again. “Well, that's why I brought you to this room specifically. I'm going to do checkups on the both of you. And possibly Henry since it seems he's fairly hurt.”

      “I'm fine! Just take care of Amber and Joonmyun please,” Henry responded, flustered. Victoria smiled.

      “Alright. Amber, you're first. Henry, you can come too if you want and if Amber's ok with it.”

 

      Amber glanced at Henry and nodded slightly. Henry gulped and followed Amber and Victoria beyond the two doors. Joonmyun looked up at Sehun and the latter sighed. He walked over to a nearby bench and sat down, patting the spot beside him. Joonmyun joined him on the bench and leaned against him.

 

      Sehun's arm wrapped around his side and snuggled him closer. Joonmyun could feel Sehun still shivering and he had to wonder if the boy was going to get worse overnight. Sehun hadn't ever gotten sick around him. His immune system seemed a lot stronger, but bearing the harsh cold for so long had taken its toll on all of them. Joonmyun could only hope that Sehun could receive some sort of body heat from him.

 

      Time seemed to drag on as they waited for Amber and Henry to come back out. Joonmyun didn't know what was going to become of them and he was honestly horrified. He really didn't want to try and function in this city. As horrible as the wilderness had been, he would almost rather be there than confined in another prison-like city. He let out a sigh and bit his lip.

      “You alright?” Sehun whispered.

      “No...I'm scared...I don't want to be here...”

      “It's better than freezing to death in the cold, Joonmyun...”

      “I know...but it doesn't mean I'm not still scared...What are we going to do? We have no where to stay! Are we going to live on the streets here?”

      “Joonmyun-”

      “And what about the doctor and the appointments...I still don't even know what to think about this doctor...Will she even know how to take care of me? What if she turns us in? Do you think she'll be that loyal to Amber?”

      “Joonmyun! Calm down. It's ok,” Sehun soothed. “We'll find somewhere to stay. I'll make sure of that, ok? If the doctor turns us in, I'll protect you. If she doesn't know how to take care of you, I'll find someone who can or learn myself. I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you.” There was a pause.

      “You're so mature sometimes, it scares me, Sehun...” Joonmyun whispered.

      “I'm not mature...Just like you, I'm scared...and I'm thinking the same things...but what can we do? We're going to be living in a constant struggle from here on out...We're just going to have to adapt.”

      “I still think you're amazing for being able to stay calm and think things through...” Sehun laughed quietly.

      “You've got your own strengths that I look up to as well, Joonmyun. You give me way too much credit.”

      “Like what?”

      “Well, you never give up...And even though you don't always know how things will work out, you never hesitate to follow your feelings and emotions, which is something I'm still learning how to do...You're one of the bravest people I know, even when you're scared, like you are right now...You're still going to keep moving on, giving it your all, and taking care of the baby and me.”

      “I take care of you? I feel like you take care of me a lot more...”

      “I don't think I would be nearly as brave or as caring or as anything if I didn't have you by my side...You're my emotional support, Joonmyun...And I want to be yours as well, even though I fail a lot...”

      “You don't...You do a lot more than you think as well, Sehun...” The younger chuckled again.

      “We're going to have compliment wars at this rate...” Joonmyun finally laughed, only to break out in a small cough. When he was done, he sniffled. Sehun frowned and hugged him closer.

      “You really shouldn't have been out in the cold...”

      “Neither should you...” Joonmyun whispered.

 

      They snuggled closer together and glanced at the two closed doors. They wondered how Amber was doing, but they weren't entirely ready to go see the doctor themselves, so they didn't mind waiting just a little longer.

 

~*~

      Victoria had done a basic physical examination on Amber, then updated the documents she had for her. Next, she had Amber lay down on an examination bed. She rolled over a strange looking machine. Henry cocked his head to the side as he observed it and Victoria couldn't help but giggle. Of course he wouldn't know what it was.

      “Well, Amber, you're about 26 weeks along now. Way overdue for an ultrasound.”

      “Really?” Amber asked.

      “Have you not been keeping track at all?” Victoria sighed.

      “I have, but I kinda wasn't in the city for some amount of time and the days started blending together after a while...”

      “Well, you are. You're also still overweight.”

      “I don't even eat that much!” Amber whined.

 

      Victoria didn't say anything else, but she smiled and giggled a bit. Henry was fairly lost overall. He wasn't one of the birthing class members that was supposed to get pregnant, so he'd never heard of such concepts like keeping track of the weeks or ultrasounds. To him, he merely impregnated people and moved on. That was his job.

 

      He blushed as Victoria pulled Amber's shirt up, revealing her stomach. He'd seen Amber's stomach many times, both pregnant and not. Something about being there with another woman and seeing it made him shy though. Victoria glanced at him and smiled widely. Was he bright red or something? Amber had always teased him saying he showed his emotions way too easily.

 

      Henry's attention went straight back to Victoria though as she brought over some sort of probe. In her other hand, she had a bottle of what appeared to be gel. Was this how an ultrasound was done? Henry had never really seen one done and people of their class didn't usually have knowledge of advanced technology and such.

      “Alright, Amber, this is going to feel a little cold.”

      “Not like I didn't just spend several days freezing outside on the ground and in the snow...”

      “Well, it won't be THAT cold,” Victoria added as she squeezed some of the gel onto Amber's stomach.

 

      After, she placed the probe on the stomach and glanced over at the machine she'd rolled in. Henry's eyes went wide as he stared at the images on the screen. Victoria moved the probe around, stopping in various areas for a bit longer to take a closer look. Eventually, she shook her head and sighed.

      “Is something wrong?” Henry asked nervously.

      “Hm? Oh no, it's nothing like that,” Victoria replied. “I think I know why you're so 'fat' though, Amber.”

      “Really? Why?”

      “Fraternal twins.”

      “You're joking...right?” Amber asked, her eyes wide.

      “Nope. Look at the screen. There's one baby...and there's the other,” Victoria stated, pointing at the screen.

      “Twins...” Amber mumbled.

      “That's not even the most interesting part~” Victoria sang.

      “What else is there?” Henry asked.

      “One baby is a boy and the other is a girl!”

      “You know how to tell the difference?” Amber asked. “I thought you'd never seen boys before...”

      “I haven't in person...but it wasn't like we were taught they didn't exist...The women here only give birth to girls, but the doctors were still taught the sex organs of both men and women. I imagine it's the same for the doctors in the male city.”

      “Didn't stop them from freaking out when I didn't have a penis...” Amber grumbled.

      “So then...we're really getting a boy AND a girl?” Henry asked, his eyes wide and happiness clear on his face.

 

      Victoria smiled and nodded. Henry had to stop himself from jumping for joy. Amber on the other hand, groaned.

      “We're getting two...I don't even know how to take care of one...What are we gonna do...?”

      “You're the one who got yourself into this, so suck it up and deal with it,” Victoria replied. “Besides, you've got three more months to figure that out...and you've got a great guy by your side. You'll be fine,” she whispered.

      “You're not even surprised that he's still by my side?” Amber asked.

      “I think it's sweet, actually.”

      “Oh yeah...You've always been a bit more reserved when it came to these things, huh?” Amber mumbled. “You hardly ever told me of girls you saw...”

      “I just didn't feel like seeing any, so I didn't. I kinda like this idea of getting to know them before you see them...”

      “Better watch out or you'll get in trouble,” Amber sighed.

      “I already expect to get in trouble for helping you...So I'll take things as they come, I suppose.”

      “I'm sorry...” Henry mumbled. “Thank you for helping us...” Victoria smiled again.

      “It's fine. Thanks for putting up with my obnoxious, little Amber.”

      “Shut up!” Amber fussed.

 

      Victoria and Henry both laughed. The former cleaned the gel off Amber's stomach then helped her sit up and get down from the examination table. She let Amber adjust her clothes before gently pulling her over to Henry.

      “Well, I think it's time to look at your other friend out there.”

      “Thank you, Victoria,” Amber said genuinely. “I really mean it.”

      “I know you do. Don't worry about it, ok?” Victoria answered back.

      “Be careful with Joonmyun, ok? He's had a rough pregnancy so far...and he's a pretty fragile guy in general,” Amber explained.

      “I understand.”

 

      The three exchanged looks before heading towards the door in silence. Henry wrapped his arm around Amber's back and pulled her close to his side. The smile on his face wasn't even remotely subtle. Amber couldn't help but smile herself though. She really liked having this dork in her life.


	24. Chapter 24

      Joonmyun and Sehun both jumped when the doors opened. Victoria lead the way, followed by Amber and Henry. Joonmyun got to his feet and cautiously walked over to them. Sehun followed suit.

      “How was it?” Joonmyun asked.

      “Twins...” Amber said, rubbing the back of her head. “That's why I'm so darn round!”

      “Wow...” Joonmyun gasped. He rubbed her stomach and smiled. “That's amazing, Amber!”

      “Are you ready, Joonmyun?” Victoria asked.

      “What?”

      “It's your turn for a checkup. It might take a little while since I've never seen you before. There are tests I need to do. Your friend is welcome to come with you as well,” she stated, motioning to Sehun.

      “A-Alright...” Joonmyun responded, grabbing Sehun's hand in a death grip.

 

      They followed Victoria into the room. When they got into the room, the doctor motioned for Joonmyun to sit on the bed. He was too scared to move though, so Sehun had to walk him over and lift him onto the medical bed. He gave him a firm hug and whispered into his ear.

      “It's going to be ok.”

 

      After, he let go and went to stand on the side so Victoria could do her work. She had grabbed a few documents while they had been hugging. When she returned, she sat down on a stool in front of Joonmyun and smiled gently.

      “I don't think we've been completely introduced. My name is Victoria.”

      “I'm Joonmyun...And that's Sehun.”

      “Nice to meet you both. I'm going to ask you some questions, alright? I have to do some blood tests too, just so I can know how far along you are and if there's any problems.”

      “A-Alright...”

      “Now then...Amber said you'd been having a rough pregnancy. Have you had any complications you can tell me about?”

      “I-I...had an illness...”

      “Hyperemesis Gravidarum,” Sehun answered for him. Victoria's eyes widened a bit before she nodded and wrote it down on one of the sheets of paper.

      “Alright...How are you feeling now?”

      “I'm alright. I started feeling better a few weeks ago.”

      “That's good. I'm going to weigh you to make sure you're a healthy weight. Did you see a doctor often?”

      “Yes...”

      “Good. That means you shouldn't be in terribly bad condition, right?” She said gently, placing her hand on his shoulder. Joonmyun nodded timidly.

 

      Victoria proceeded to ask him a number of questions. After she was done, she ran several small tests, took his weight, and performed a physical exam, noting Sehun's threatening gaze as she did so. When all that was done, she instructed Joonmyun to lay down on the medical bed. He glanced at her in confusion and she smiled softly.

      “You're about 22 weeks along now. It's time for you to have an ultrasound as well. Don't worry. It's not scary at all.”

      “Ok...”

 

      He laid down on the examination bed and tried to keep his breathing calm. Victoria was being extremely gentle, but he couldn't help but be anxious and scared. It was definitely a situation out of his comfort zone. He gasped a bit when she gently lifted his shirt up. The next thing he knew, a warm hand was wrapped around his and a pair of soft lips had connected with his forehead.

      “It's ok...” Sehun whispered. Victoria smiled at the younger and proceeded to squirt gel on Joonmyun's stomach. It was cold, which made him jump.

      “Sorry about that,” Victoria apologized. “It's always a bit cold, but the gel makes the probe move smoothly, so we get a better image.”

      “It's alright,” Joonmyun responded. “So, you're going to look at the baby?”

      “Mhm. It'll appear on the screen, so you can see it too. If you don't mind me asking, is this baby also Sehun's?”

      “Y-Yes...” The younger answered, becoming rather timid all of a sudden. He was still not entirely used to the idea of the baby being his at all.

      “I see~” Victoria sang.

 

      She placed the probe on Joonmyun's stomach and moved it around from time to time, looking at the screen. A smile slowly curled onto her face and she glanced at the two boys.

      “Well, there's a healthy little baby boy in there!”

      “Really?” Joonmyun asked.

      “Mhm~”

      “He's healthy...?” Joonmyun asked almost in disbelief.

      “Mhm. He's perfectly fine. And you're doing well yourself.”

      “Aren't I underweight? I don't show that much...”

      “People each show differently. You've got a little less than 4 months left. Give it some time, Joonmyun. You'll show much more as time goes on,” Victoria stated, giving his shoulder a squeeze. “You seem to be a bit petite in general...so I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't massive by the end of your pregnancy. Amber has two babies, so that's why she's so much bigger than you.”

      “And you're sure the baby's healthy?”

      “Yes, Joonmyun,” Victoria affirmed.

 

      She met eyes with Sehun and the latter smiled bashfully before looking affectionately back down at Joonmyun. It was almost making her want her own permanent partner, if it meant they'd look at her that way. She got back to her work and finished the ultrasound. Then, she began to clean Joonmyun up. It was during that time that Sehun finally spoke up to her.

      “Joonmyun can't have the baby naturally...”

      “I imagine so,” Victoria responded.

      “Do you know how to perform a C-section?” The doctor chuckled at the question.

      “You know, just because women CAN give birth naturally, it doesn't mean there aren't complications. I've performed plenty of C-sections on women.”

      “Do you think it'll be different for Joonmyun?”

      “No. The process will be the same. You don't have to worry, alright? I'll take care of him.”

      “You're awfully...accepting of us...”

      “I think I've learned to be over the years. Having a friend like Amber, things are anything but normal for me. I didn't agree with what she did at all in the beginning. The first time she came back to the female city and met up with me, I told her she needed to come back...She refused though so we fought for a little bit before I finally gave up and just accepted her decision...but seeing her grow up over the years, I'm glad she got out of here while she could...She seems happy now. You two seem happy as well.”

      “We are...” Sehun said softly. Joonmyun smiled brightly at him. Victoria nodded.

      “Well then, I think that does it for now. I do want to keep seeing Joonmyun on a regular basis. But for right now, I think that's enough. You both need to rest.”

      “Where are we going to rest though...?” Sehun sighed. “There's no where for us to stay.”

      “Let's meet up with Henry and Amber and we'll discuss that,” Victoria answered.

 

      They left the room together. Out in the hallway, Amber and Henry were snuggled together, sitting on the same bench Joonmyun and Sehun had been on. The three walked over to them and Victoria sighed.

      “You all have no where to stay, right?”

      “Yeah...” Amber muttered.

      “You really were just thrown to the wolves then...”

      “Do you know anywhere we can go, Victoria?” Henry asked. The doctor tapped her finger on her lip and thought for a minute. Then, her eyes lit up.

      “There might be a place, actually!”

      “Where!?” Amber gasped.

      “Recently, the simple class that worked in this district were moved to a new housing arrangement. Their old rooms are still there though. The cameras aren't in use anymore either...it would probably be the safest for you.”

      “Really!?”

      “Mhm. I'll take you there now. Follow me.”

 

      She lead them discreetly out of the hospital. After that, they took a few backstreets to avoid being seen. Eventually, they came to a building that looked completely abandoned and slightly run down. Victoria took a deep breath before entering the building. The others followed nervously after her.

 

      When they got inside, it was pitch black. Victoria felt around on the walls for a light switch while Henry and Sehun held Amber and Joonmyun close to them, in fear of them tripping on something. Finally, Victoria found a light switch and flipped it on. The lights flickered on shortly after.

      “Thank goodness the power hasn't been completely cut yet...” She mumbled.

      “Wait...won't they notice the power's being used?” Sehun asked cautiously.

      “The power is divided and measured by city sectors. So rather than looking at individual building power use, it's a total of the sector's uses. Unless you use a lot of power, they shouldn't notice anything fishy. The power also has to be manually turned off within a specific building. It's quite a hassle, so usually they just leave the power of the building connected until they demolish it. You should be safe here for a little while.”

      “You're sure?” Amber asked nervously.

      “It's better than being on the street, right?” Victoria sighed.

      “It'll be fine. We'll make it work. Thank you, Victoria,” Joonmyun said. The doctor smiled and nodded.

      “I'll be seeing you two again in a couple weeks for appointments, you hear me? Until then, stay warm and stay well. If any of you have any trouble, don't hesitate to contact me. Amber, you know my phone number.”

      “Gotcha~ Thanks!”

 

      Victoria said goodbye then left the building. After, the four remaining glanced at each other. They didn't exactly know what else to do, except perhaps explore the building. A sneeze brought them out of their silent daze.

      “Joonmyun...Are you ok?” Amber asked nervously. The boy sniffled and nodded.

      “I'm just a little cold. That's all.”

      “We're all really cold, dirty, and disgusting...We should try and find somewhere to wash up. A warm shower will definitely help Joonmyun,” Henry stated.

      “We should see if there's any leftover clothing. The simple class were housed here, so there might still be some old standard issue clothes that they wore, right?” Sehun stated.

      “Maybe...” Amber mumbled. “Might be hard to fit you two in something though. Girls aren't typically as big as you...”  
      “We're just going to have to deal with it,” Sehun sighed.

      “So I guess we're just gonna have to search through the building...”

      “If you see anyone or anything suspicious, give us a call and then get out. We'll be sure to do the same.”

      “Alright...” Amber said, nodding. She walked over to Sehun and held out her phone. “Give me your number.” They exchanged numbers then Amber returned to Henry's side.

      “Well then, guess we'll call you guys if we find anything we can use...”

      “Alright. We'll meet back here later,” Sehun agreed.

 

      With that, Henry and Amber headed off, down one of the corridors. Sehun sighed and glanced down at Joonmyun. He offered a weak smile at the older boy.

      “Ready to go?”

      “Yeah...What are we looking for again?” He asked tiredly. Sehun laughed a bit.

      “Clothes we can change into...and somewhere where we can wash up. I don't know about you, but it's been way too long since the last time I bathed and I REALLY want to take a shower.”

 

      Joonmyun laughed a little until he started coughing again. Sehun sighed and hugged him close.

      “You need to warm up too...You're getting sick...”

      “I'll be ok,” Joonmyun whispered into Sehun's shoulder as he wrapped his arms around him. They stayed that way for a little while longer before Sehun spoke up again.

      “Alright...Let's go scout the place out, ok?”

      “Mhm.”

 

      Sehun pulled away from Joonmyun then grabbed the latter's hand. He gave it a comforting squeeze before starting off in the direction opposite of Amber and Henry. They could only hope this foreign place would be hospitable enough for them to stay. They had to make it, at least until Joonmyun had his baby.


	25. Chapter 25

      Sehun and Joonmyun walked through the halls, glancing about. They seemed to have found the corridor where the bedrooms were. That probably meant that there was a public bathroom or shower area nearby. The building was structurally similar to the way the simple class buildings were in their city. The simple class were kept in large groups so they were easier to take care of.

 

      Eventually, they spotted a sign that said 'bathrooms' on it. Joonmyun glanced at Sehun hopefully and the latter smiled back. They walked over to the door and cautiously pushed it open. When they went inside, they were greeted by a row of stalls. Sehun walked past them and glanced around the corner. He smiled and waved Joonmyun over.

      “This leads to a locker room. Beyond that are some showers, I bet.”

      “Really?” Joonmyun asked excitedly.

      “Mhm. Let's look around and see if we can find any clothes in the lockers.”

      “Ok.”

 

      They began searching through the various lockers. Eventually, Joonmyun found a container in the corner of the room. He opened it and found several uniforms folded up. He smiled triumphantly and called Sehun over.

      “Are they all one size?” Sehun asked, sifting through some.

      “No. Some are bigger than others...”

      “We're gonna need bigger ones...You and Amber have big stomachs and Henry and I are tall...”

      “I guess we'll just grab a few different sizes and try them on...”

      “Yeah. The showers are around the corner over there. I found them while you were searching for clothes.”

      “Should we call Amber and Henry?”

      “Yeah. Let me do that now.”

 

      Sehun pulled his phone out of his pocket and called Amber's number. There was a pause while he waited for the other line to pick up. When it did, a booming voice came through on the other line, causing Sehun to wince.

      “Hello?” Amber asked.

      “Ow...You're so loud...”

      “And you didn't already know this? What's up? Did you miss us already?”

      “We found the showers,” Sehun stated, rolling his eyes. “There's a bin with a ton of uniforms here as well. The bathrooms are at the end of the hallway opposite of where you two headed. There's a sign, so they're hard to miss.”

      “Awesome. There's a kitchen and cafeteria on this end, so that's our discovery.”

      “Sounds good. Are you going to keep exploring or head over here?”

      “We'll head your way. We all need to wash up. You and Joonmyun go ahead first, ok?”

      “Alright. See you later.”

      “Yep~”

 

      Sehun hung up the phone and shoved it back in his pocket. Joonmyun gave him a curious look.

      “What did Amber say?”

      “They found the cafeteria. She and Henry are gonna head this way. We can wash up first though.”

      “Ok.”

 

      Sehun turned back to the bin and grabbed a few sets of larger looking uniforms. He placed them in Joonmyun's arms, then wrapped his own arm around the older's back. He lead him through the locker room and into the showers. Along the way, there was a towel rack. Sehun grabbed a few so that they would have them to dry off with when they were done.

 

      The showers consisted of various shower heads lining the walls. There were curtains that could be pulled shut to gain some privacy. Sehun took the clothes and placed them on a counter at the entrance. After, he walked over to a shower and draped the towels on the curtain rail where they wouldn't get wet. He motioned for Joonmyun to join him and the latter did so timidly.

 

      When the older was in arm's reach, Sehun pulled him close. He shut the curtain most of the way, stopping where he'd draped the towels. Joonmyun glanced around with a confused expression on his face and Sehun couldn't help but laugh.

      “We're gonna shower together?” Joonmyun asked awkwardly.

      “Yeah. Do you not want to?” Sehun asked.

      “N-No, it's not that...It's just...” Joonmyun mumbled, glancing down at his stomach.

      “If you're worried about your appearance, don't worry. I still find you plenty attractive, ok?”

      “Ok...”

      “Take your clothes off, ok?”

 

      Joonmyun nodded and undid his jacket and threw it behind the curtain. He shivered, missing the warmth it provided. He figured the sooner he had all his clothes off though, the sooner he could get under warm water. This logic fueled him to take his clothes off at a fairly quick pace, surprising Sehun. When the younger was underessed, he smiled and pulled the other boy close. Joonmyun pressed himself against Sehun, wanting the extra body warmth. The younger moved to the wall, then reached for the faucet.

      “Let me check the water temperature before you get under the stream, ok?”

      “K,” Joonmyun complied.

 

      Sehun turned on the shower, thanking the heavens when water came out. He stuck his hand underneath and noted the water was fairly cold. He turned the faucet, hoping that it would eventually warm up. After a few minutes of fiddling with the water temperature, Sehun deemed it good enough for Joonmyun to stand in and let the older boy walk into the stream.

 

      Chills went up and down Joonmyun's back as the warm water beat down on him, replacing the cold that had been plaguing him before. Sehun joined him and sighed contentedly. Joonmyun let his head stay under the water so all his hair could get wet. After, he slicked it back, out of his face, wiping water from his eyes in the process.

 

      He glanced over at Sehun, who was also dipping his head under the water. He looked the boy over, his eyes stopping on his scar. His heart clenched when he saw it. It was still such a painful thing for Sehun. Joonmyun would have a scar like that too, once the baby was born. Would Sehun hate to look at him at that point? He unconsciously rubbed his stomach, looking at the ground, sadly.

      “What's wrong?” Sehun asked.

      “Huh? Nothing...”

      “Are you sure? You're holding your stomach...Are you in pain? Should we go back to Victoria?”

      “Oh, no. It's not that...it's just...”

      “Just what?”

      “I'm gonna have a big scar...Just like you...Will that bother you...?”

      “Why would it?” Sehun said gently. “Joonmyun...I know I've said a lot of things to you in the past that really affected you...but please know that things are different now...I love you...I don't want you to worry about me not liking something about you...You're perfect just the way you are,” he mumbled, turning a bright shade of pink. Joonmyun smiled and leaned closer to him.

      “You mean that? You won't find me ugly?”

      “Joonmyun, I thought I told you earlier. You look just fine. You always will.”

      “A-Alright...”

      “Now, as for this...” Sehun started, running his fingers along his own scar. “This is a scar. It'll always be here...and it'll always have a bad memory attached to it...but that doesn't mean I have to dwell on it. I have plenty of better things to think about now.” Joonmyun smiled widely at Sehun's mature answer. He ran his finger along the scar gently.

      “Good. You've really grown up, Sehun...” The younger laughed.

      “So have you. Now, come on. Let's get you washed up. I don't want you to stay in the water for too long because that won't help you either.”

 

      Joonmyun nodded and looked around for some sort of soap to wash himself with. By the time he spotted the small little bottles on a ledge on the wall, Sehun had already grabbed one and was squeezing it onto his hands. Next, he placed his hands on Joonmyun's head, causing the boy to jump a little, and began scrubbing, suds frothing up as he did so. Joonmyun relaxed at his touch and closed his eyes so the soap wouldn't get in them.

      “Your hair's gotten so long...” Sehun said, amazement in his voice. “It's nice...You should let it grow out more often...”

 

      Joonmyun smiled and nodded. Sehun finished scrubbing and helped Joonmyun rinse his hair out, making sure to shield the older boy's eyes to keep the soap out. After, he proceeded to wash Joonmyun's body, causing the older boy to blush a bit, but Sehun just kissed him and whispered soothing words.

 

      Sehun was about start washing his hair when he felt two hands run down his back. He glanced at Joonmyun and noticed the boy was washing his back with the body soap Sehun had just used. The younger smiled to himself and proceeded to wash his hair.

 

      When they were done, Sehun turned the water off and quickly wrapped Joonmyun in a towel. He grabbed the other towel and wrapped it quickly around himself, drying off. After, he wrapped it around his waist and turned back to Joonmyun, who'd remained curled up in the towel, trying to stay warm.

 

      Sehun wrapped his arm around the other's back and lead him out to the counter where they'd placed the clean clothes. He quickly helped Joonmyun dry his body off, then helped him into a new pair of clothes. Both of them blushed when it came to wearing the female undergarments. They would have to make due until they cleaned their old ones though, as awkward and uncomfortable as it was. Thankfully, Joonmyun had found a rather baggy shirt that fit over his stomach and some sweats to wear.

 

      After that, Sehun took the towel Joonmyun had been wearing and started drying his hair off. When Joonmyun was dry enough, Sehun got himself dressed and dried his hair a bit. The pants were a bit tight and short on him, but Joonmyun couldn't deny that they made Sehun's body look even more enticing than before. After, he grabbed their jackets and dirty clothes. He glanced at Joonmyun and smiled.

      “Ready to go?”

      “Yeah...Where are we going though?”

      “Let's find a room to sleep in. I'll get some food for us before we go to bed too. Amber and Henry should have some too. Henry and I had split the rations after all.”

      “Alright...”

 

      As they were walking out, Amber and Henry walked in. Sehun briefly explained where things were, then bid them goodnight. Joonmyun followed along, still a bit cold, but enjoying the fact that he was clean once again. Sehun opened one of the many bedroom doors lining the hall and flipped on a light switch. He then pulled Joonmyun into the room.

 

      It was fairly small and had two beds in it. Joonmyun wasn't overly keen on sleeping away from Sehun though. Maybe they could push the two together. Sehun seemed to be having the same thought because he threw their dirty clothes in the corner, walked over to one of the beds, and scooted it next to the other. After, he pulled the covers away and motioned Joonmyun over.

 

      The older joined him and sat on one of the beds. It was a lot more comfortable than he thought it would be. Sehun sat down next to him and cuddled him close. He took out some food and the two ate in silence. As they finished, Joonmyun suddenly coughed again and the younger held him tightly.

      “You should lay down...You're gonna need rest if you want to recover...”

      “Yeah...” Joonmyun whispered tiredly.

 

      He laid down on one of the beds and sighed. Sehun laid down on the other and pulled the covers over both of them. He then wrapped his arms around Joonmyun, running his fingers through the older's hair. He could tell the latter was minutes away from falling asleep. It was then that something dawned on him.

      “You know...I've been meaning to ask you this for a while...You've always been really freaky around doctors...Today was no different...Is that because of what I said to you?”

      “Hm?” Joonmyun hummed sleepily.

      “About how the doctors would treat you...I feel like what I said really scared you...even after everything that's happened, you still freak out...I know you were wary of Victoria for obvious reasons, but...I just feel bad...”

      “Sehun...I've always been a little afraid of doctors...Yeah, back then, what you said didn't help...but my body's always been weak. I've always been checked up on by doctors...and I've just always been a little freaky around them...and then with everything that happened, it just got worse...”

      “I see...”

      “But it's alright. Don't worry about it. I trust Victoria. But you know, Sehun...I realized something earlier when we were with her...”

      “What's that?”

      “We're gonna need a name for the baby...We're not gonna be able to pass him off to anyone...He's ours now, Sehun...”

      “Well, we'll take it one step at a time...For now, sleep.”

      “Alright...Goodnight Sehun...I love you.”

      “Goodnight. I love you too.”

 

      They cuddled closer together. Within a few minutes, Joonmyun was asleep against Sehun. The younger boy followed closely after.

 

~*~

      Amber and Henry had stripped their clothes and were standing together under the warm water. Amber was sighing, enjoying the feeling of warm water against her aching body. Carrying two babies around was certainly not easy for her. She let out another sigh and glanced at Henry. The boy seemed rather crestfallen and was staring down at his feet. The healing bruises still loitering his body didn't really help his appearance. Amber poked him in the side, causing him to jump a bit.

      “Hey...” She said gently, concern in her eyes. “You ok...?”

      “Huh? Oh...Yeah...”

      “You don't seem like you are...”

      “I was just...thinking about something...”

      “And that was?”

      “Do you...really want kids?”

      “Huh!?” Amber asked, her eyes going wide. He was asking that now of all times?

      “Back with Victoria...It seemed like more of a burden to you than a blessing...especially when she mentioned we were having twins...”

      “Henry...You're worried about that?”

      “Well...I don't want you to be unhappy...”

      “Henry...Look at me.”

 

      The boy glanced down into her eyes. She gripped both of his wrists firmly in her hands and pulled him closer.

      “I'm fine with having children. We're in this together, so I'm sure between the two of us, we'll be able to handle two instead of one. I was just overwhelmed and surprised...and I'm scared too...But there's no going back now.”

      “You won't be unhappy?”

      “Well, I'm sure we'll both be pretty miserable sometimes...but I'll be perfectly fine. I'm plenty happy with you, you know?”

      “You could say it more often...” Henry mumbled, pouting.

 

      Amber just laughed and stood on her tip-toes. She leaned forward and placed her lips on Henry's still-pouting pair. The boy's eyes widened. He backed away and placed his hand on his lips.

      “W-What was that!?” He gasped.

      “I dunno...I see Sehun and Joonmyun do it all the time...I thought it might be nice...Should I not have done it?”

      “N-No...I liked it...” Henry murmured, turning bright pink. Amber smiled and shook her head. How on earth could she like this awkward dork so much?

 

      No other words were said between the two. Henry leaned back down and reconnected their lips, placed his hands on Amber's lower back. They stayed there, kissing and letting the water beat down on them for a decent amount of time.

 

      Finally, when their skin was starting to wrinkle from being in the water too long, they finished up and dried off. They threw on clothes quickly, then went to a random room down the empty hallway. They ate quickly, then curled up together in bed, snuggling and exchanging a few more kisses before going to sleep.


	26. Chapter 26

      Over the following days, Joonmyun developed a rather high fever due to his cold. Sehun forced him to stay in bed and remained glued to his side the entire time. Amber called Victoria and she came over to take a look at him as well. While his fever was high, thankfully she didn't see him or the baby in any sort of danger. They were just going to have to help him get better.

 

      Thankfully, his fever finally broke after the fourth day. Sehun still kept an extremely close eye on him, but Joonmyun seemed to be getting better. Unfortunately, as time went on, his sickness turned into a lingering cough. Even after a couple weeks, Joonmyun's cough was still violent and painful.

 

      The boy never really complained about it though. He knew it wouldn't be going away for a while, since that was how coughs generally were. Instead, he wanted to focus on other things, like Sehun and the baby. He really wanted to start thinking of things they'd need to prepare for the baby as well as a name. Sehun always seemed willing to do so with him, but they never really got around to it.

 

      Eventually, a month had passed since they had started hiding out in the female city. Amber was at seven and a half months and Joonmyun was at 6 and a half months. They were both progressing just fine. Victoria often dropped by in the evenings to make sure they were both doing ok as well as bring by food for them to eat. They would have been lost without her.

 

      Something was beginning to bother Joonmyun though. Sehun seemed to almost be avoiding him, and he couldn't understand why. The boy would shy away from his touches more often than not and would always wiggle his way out of having important discussions about their future and the baby. It was frustrating Joonmyun, but it was also scaring him. Maybe Sehun had realized he'd made a mistake after all.

 

      Sehun and Joonmyun were laying together in bed one night. Joonmyun cuddled close to Sehun, just as he always did. To his dismay, however, Sehun rolled over so his back was facing him rather than cuddling closer. Joonmyun bit his lip and tried not to let it bother him. Of course, it was in vain and he wound up worrying most of the night instead of sleeping.

 

      The following day, Joonmyun was afraid of getting close to Sehun. He didn't want to overstep his boundaries, though they'd been far closer to each other in the past. Sehun didn't seem to be feeling any different. If anything, he seemed almost depressed. When Joonmyun would ask about it, however, Sehun swore he was fine.

 

      The day went on that way. They ate in almost complete silence. After that, Sehun and Joonmyun remained in their room together, not really talking. Joonmyun couldn't help but feel extremely bored. Talking to Sehun was how he usually passed the time, but the boy was laying down on the bed facing away from him, so Joonmyun didn't think he would get anything out of the boy. Still, it was worth a shot.

      “Sehun...Are you...really ok?”

      “I'm fine,” the boy answered with a hint of irritation in his voice.

      “You don't...sound fine...”

      “Joonmyun...” Sehun sighed.

      “It's just...I feel like you're being really distant...and I'm scared...Are you sure you were really up for this Sehun? Maybe if you go back to the city, you could still get in...”

      “Joonmyun!” Sehun snapped. “I don't WANT to go back to the city. I want to be here with you...I just...I'm not in the mood to snuggle or talk, ok?”

      “Alright...” Joonmyun mumbled in defeat.

 

      More time went on. Joonmyun could almost feel the walls of the room caving in on him. He hated this silence. He tried to distract himself from it, but that only lead him to thinking about the baby. He started talking, more to himself than to Sehun, about the baby.

      “You know...We still haven't picked a name...I wonder what a good name would be...”

      “I wouldn't know,” Sehun mumbled.

      “There aren't any names that you really like?”

      “No...”

      “Hmm...This is so hard...We're gonna have to start learning how to care for a baby soon too...Ahhh, there's so much we need to learn...Do you think Victoria would know anything?”

      “I don't know, Joonmyun,” Sehun groaned. “She's a doctor, not part of the family unit. She might not know how to take care of a baby beyond the medical essentials. Do we have to talk about this right now?”

      “Sehun, we have to figure this stuff out eventually. It'd be best if we do it before the baby arrives, don't you think?”

      “But that doesn't mean it has to be now...”

      “Why are you so adamant about not talking about this?” Joonmyun asked, letting his irritation and exhaustion get the better of him. He was starting to get tired of Sehun's attitude.

      “I'm just tired right now...I don't want to be stressed on top of it...”

      “Why are you tired!? You slept well last night, didn't you? If anyone didn't sleep, it was me,” Joonmyun fussed. He vaguely saw Sehun tense a bit and wondered if the boy was worried or angry at him.

      “I don't know...I just am, ok?” Sehun snapped back.

      “Why are you getting so defensive?” Joonmyun asked. He was starting to feel like he was in the wrong for asking simple, innocent questions.

      “Look, I'm in a bad mood,” Sehun tried to state calmly. “I don't feel like snuggling, I don't feel like talking, and I especially don't feel like stressing out over the baby.”

      “The baby's going to come eventually, Sehun,” Joonmyun fussed back, raising his voice a little, despite feeling a coughing fit coming on. “Once the baby's here, you're not going to be able to just put it off!”

      “I KNOW THAT! But for now, the baby's not coming for another two months! We've still got time! So why are you trying to force it on me RIGHT this second!? Just leave me alone!”

 

      Joonmyun looked at Sehun sadly, but the boy was still facing away from him so he couldn't see. The older bit his lip and nodded a bit. He got up and walked towards the door. He glanced back at Sehun and sighed.

      “Alright...I'm sorry...I'll leave you alone for now...”

 

      He left the room, leaving Sehun alone, fuming in self-hatred and anger.

 

~*~

      Joonmyun walked down the hall, trying hard to keep the tears in. Maybe if he found Amber or Henry, he could talk to them and cheer up. He could talk about the baby with them as well. If Sehun wouldn't get serious about taking care of the baby, then Joonmyun would just do it on his own.

 

      Henry noticed Joonmyun storming through the halls, but the latter didn't see him. The older frowned, noticing that Joonmyun seemed upset. The boy was heading towards the cafeteria where Amber was though, so Henry figured the girl would be able to take care of him. Instead, he decided to go look into what most likely caused Joonmyun's change in attitude, Sehun.

 

~*~

      When Joonmyun got to the cafeteria, Amber was sitting at the table, having a small snack. She glanced up at him and immediately noticed he was upset. She hopped to her feet and walked over to him as fast as her body would let her. She cupped his cheeks in her hands.

      “Hey, what's wrong?” She asked gently. Joonmyun let out a sob and a cough and Amber's eyes widened. “Shh, don't cry. If you cry, you're gonna have a cough attack. You don't want that, do you?” Joonmyun shook his head. “Alright. Come sit down. When you're calm, tell me what happened, ok?”

 

      Joonmyun nodded and sat down beside Amber. She rubbed his back encouragingly. She could only imagine Sehun did something idiotic.

 

~*~

      Sehun ripped at his hair and smacked his head until it was throbbing. He didn't know why he'd yelled at Joonmyun like that. He really hadn't even meant to get annoyed at the boy. He just felt like he was on an emotional roller coaster as of late and his emotions felt impossible to control. He knew he needed to apologize though. None of that was even Joonmyun's fault.

 

      He rolled off the bed and took a few steps forward. That was when he felt one of the most painful cramps of his life. His arms curled around his stomach and he whimpered. Soon enough, he was squatting on the ground, his head on his knees and his arms holding his aching body, trying in vain to make it stop hurting. He didn't know what was going on, but he was horrified. He really wished Joonmyun was with him now.

 

      He vaguely registered the sound of the door opening, but he was in too much pain to really make any response. The next thing he knew, another body was beside him and a voice was calling to him.

      “Sehun?” Henry asked. He shook the boy's shoulders a bit. “Sehun, are you alright?”

 

      Sehun only whimpered and Henry took that as a sign that he was not, in fact, ok. He began trying to look for what might be hurting the boy. That's when he noticed red staining Sehun's legs and crotch area.

      “Sehun! You're bleeding...”

 

      The younger boy made no response. Henry didn't know what to do. Sehun probably needed to see Victoria. Henry needed to find Amber so she could call the doctor.

 

~*~

      Once Joonmyun had finished explaining to Amber what he and Sehun had argued over, she looked furious. She stood up from the table abruptly, causing Joonmyun to jump.

      “What kind of bullshit answer is that!?” She snapped. “The jerk should have to think about the baby too, even if he doesn't want to! You're way too easy on him, Joonmeyon! That's why he's acting so spoiled.” She began walking away from the table.

      “Amber, where are you going?”

      “To give him a piece of my mind!”

      “Wait! Just let him be...He's in a bad mood! I'm sure he didn't mean it...”

      “Doesn't matter! Stay there, ok? I'll be back after I have a talk with him.”

 

      Joonmyun gulped. He didn't really plan on staying and letting Amber yell at Sehun. He knew it wouldn't solve anything. He followed closely after the girl, hoping that Sehun's mood would have improved enough for him to stand Amber's feisty attitude.

 

      When Amber got to the room, she was surprised to see Henry kneeling beside Sehun on the floor. Henry glanced up at her in concern.

      “Amber...Sehun's bleeding...”

      “Bleeding?” Amber asked, immediately forgetting she was there to yell at him. “Where?”

 

      Henry pointed subtly at the area and Amber's eyes widened before she blushed a bit. After a moment, she coughed awkwardly and pulled out her phone. Henry watched as the girl waited for the line to connect. Meanwhile, Joonmyun arrived in the doorway, his eyes darting from person to person, trying to figure out what was going on. Next, Amber's voice filled the room.

      “Ah, Victoria? Yeah, it's me. Do you have any pain medication and a heating pad?” There was a pause. “No, it's not for me...It's for Sehun...I think he's having a period.” Another pause. “Yeah, pads would be great too. Thanks, Victoria.”

 

      Amber sighed and hung up the phone. She turned to Henry before beginning to give him instructions.

      “Get Sehun laying down on the bed. He'll be more comfortable that way. Victoria's on her way with some things as well.” Henry nodded awkwardly and did as told. After, he spoke up.

      “Hey, Amber...What's a period?” He asked innocently. Amber couldn't help but chuckle a bit.

      “It's something the body does in order to reproduce,” Amber tried to explain in extremely simple terms. “You guys always took medicine to prevent this from happening though. Only those who have to get pregnant would really know what periods are like. Typically, those men are educated on them for when our birthing schedule starts, right Joonmyun?” She received a nod. “I don't think Joonmyun experienced one though since he was pretty sexually active with Sehun.” Joonmyun then blushed.

      “So...Since Sehun hasn't taken medicine since we left the male city, this is happening?”

      “Mhm. It'll happen to you soon enough as well. It's a natural body process. Don't worry, ok?”

      “If you say so...It seems painful though...”

      “It's different for each person. Looks like Sehun's having a really painful one. That was probably why he's been so grouchy lately, Joonmyun.”

      “Really?” Joonmyun asked.

      “Mhm. His hormone levels are all over the place, so he's bound to be pretty moody.”

      “Will he be ok?” Joonmyun asked.

      “He'll be fine. Go to the front and meet Victoria. We'll teach you guys how to deal with periods.” Joonmyun nodded and left the group.

      “Amber...Have you dealt with this before?” Henry asked.

      “Yes. Girls start pretty early. I think I started around when I was 11. I don't think men in your society started until around 15 or 16 though...and by then, you're all usually on your drugs. I had to deal with periods for a few years in the female city and then a few months in the male city before I was able to get a hold of those meds. Sneaking pads from the female city was hell...”

      “I see...”

 

      Soon, Victoria walked into the room. She had a pack of what Henry assumed was pads as well as a heating pad, which she immediately placed on Sehun's stomach. The younger boy was still pretty unresponsive at that point, but he grabbed the heating pad and held it in place. After, she and Amber explained to Joonmyun and Henry how pads worked. Victoria then told Amber to get Sehun some food to take before taking the pain medication.

 

      Amber left alongside Victoria and Henry. She patted Joonmyun's shoulder and smiled encouragingly. After they were gone, Joonmyun glanced into the room nervously. Sehun hadn't really moved much on the bed. One of his arms was holding the heating pad and the other was flopped in front of him, his hand in a fist. Joonmyun didn't entirely know whether he should stay or leave, but a voice soon made the decision for him.

      “Joonmyun?” Sehun called quietly.

 

      The older boy sighed and went into the room. He shut the door behind him, figuring the least he could do was help Sehun get into clean underwear and pants. He grabbed a pair of underwear and put a pad in them, just like Amber had shown him. Afterward, he carefully pulled Sehun's pants and old underwear off. He quickly slipped the new pair on. There weren't any clean pairs of pants in the room that would fit Sehun though, so instead of putting new ones on, Joonmyun simply pulled the covers over Sehun's legs.

 

      As Joonmyun was about to walk away, Sehun reached for his hand and pulled him closer. The older boy looked down at him nervously.

      “I'm sorry for what I said earlier...” Sehun whispered. “I was being immature and selfish...”

      “It's ok,” Joonmyun whispered. “You weren't feeling well.”

      “It doesn't excuse what I said...”

 

      Joonmyun sighed and sat down on the bed beside Sehun. He bent down as much as he could and managed to place a soft kiss on Sehun's temple.

      “It's alright. I forgive you,” he whispered. Sehun squeezed his hand.

      “I love you...”

      “I love you too.”

 

      They remained silent after that. Eventually, Amber came back in with some food and a couple of pills. Joonmyun helped Sehun sit up and the boy ate quickly, wanting to take the medicine and be rid of his aches and pains. After he was settled back down, Amber left the room with the dishes.

 

      Joonmyun sat beside Sehun, rubbing his back gently. The younger didn't seem to be shying away from his touch at the moment, so he figured it was ok to continue the action. Eventually, Joonmyun began coughing. Sehun rubbed his back nervously, not wanting Joonmyun to have a coughing fit all night. When Joonmyun finally calmed down, Sehun spoke up.

      “You alright...?”

      “Mhm...I'll be fine,” Joonmyun whispered, not wanting to aggravate his throat more.

 

      Sehun nodded grimly and his eyes shifted to the boy's stomach. He had to wonder if the baby was bothered by the coughing. He hoped it wasn't too bad. He placed his hand on Joonmyun's stomach, and rubbed it gently. After a moment, he spoke up.

      “How about Minki...?”

      “Hm?” Joonmyun hummed.

      “The baby...Does Minki sound like a good name?”

      “Yeah...I like it...” Joonmyun said quietly, still not wanting to hurt his throat. “Did you think of it just now?”

      “No...I've been thinking of it for a while...I just didn't know if you'd like it, so I was scared to say it...”

      “Why would you be scared? Do you like it that much that rejection scared you?” Joonmyun asked, smiling a bit. Sehun nodded hesitantly. “Then you should have said so. I think it's a nice name. If you like it so much, let's go with that one. I don't really have any ideas myself.”

      “Are you sure?”

      “Positive.”

 

      A wide smiled formed on Sehun's face. He snuggled closer to Joonmyun's side, wrapping his arms around the boy's stomach.

      “Minki~” Sehun called quietly, a childish smile on his face. “Minkiii~”

 

      Joonmyun's heart might as well have melted. He didn't think it was possible for him to love Sehun any more than he already did, but the boy always had a way of making him fall all over again. Even if they fought a lot in the years to come, Joonmyun figured they'd be able to pull through just fine.


	27. Chapter 27

      As the week went on, Sehun's period became less aggressive. Finally, it ended, leaving him normal and comfortable again. Shortly after Sehun's period ended, Henry had his first period. It was alarming to the boy, but he didn't seem to be in nearly as much pain as Sehun had been in. Instead, he became insanely clingy and Joonmyun thought for a second that Amber was going to go crazy.

 

      Finally, when everyone was settled down and not suffering from hormones, Victoria decided it was time to begin teaching them about how to take care of a baby, as well as how to deal with labor when it happens. The expecting couples were both nervous, but they knew they needed to learn.

 

      Victoria started by bringing a video detailing the process of labor to them. It would be a lie to say the boys didn't look completely horrified watching as the narrator explained how the cervix dilated to allow the baby to be pushed out as well as basically every other aspect of labor. Amber didn't seem phased other than the fact that she knew it was going to hurt. Victoria couldn't really provide much comfort. Joonmyun was starting to feel grateful that his baby would be removed surgically.

 

      After that, Victoria began teaching them a number of things. She started with a few basics, like how to hold a baby, then went into further detail about feeding and taking care of them. A lot of what she taught them would have to be perfected once their babies were actually born.

 

      As time went on, Amber's due date was coming closer. She only had about a month left before her babies would be born. Victoria took that time to start teaching Joonmyun and Amber about the signs of labor as well as different techniques of handling labor pains.

 

      A lot of the methods involved relaxing the body and breathing. Joonmyun never thought breathing could be so complicated, but as Victoria tried to demonstrate to him and Amber how to breathe, Joonmyun couldn't help but feel slightly lost. Victoria explained that the goal of these breathing exercises was to distract the person from the pain, but to Joonmyun, they just seemed to be giving him a headache from lack of air and confusion. Why was breathing so hard?

 

      As Joonmyun was failing yet again to get the rhythm of inhaling and exhaling, Sehun couldn't help but laugh a little bit. He squeezed Joonmyun's hand and smiled.

      “Let me show you,” he whispered.

 

      He then proceeded to do the breath perfectly, like Victoria had demonstrated. He counted on his fingers so Joonmyun could tell just how long to inhale and exhale. The older couldn't help but be impressed. He clapped rapidly and smiled at Sehun.

      “You're really good at it!”

      “I've had practice before...” Sehun said, more bashful than upset for once. “Do you wanna try it again?”

      “Not really...” Joonmyun sighed. “Is it actually gonna help at all during the labor?”

      “Mmm...I think it's gonna depend from person to person. It's really just a distraction from the pain.” Joonmyun frowned a bit, which didn't go unnoticed by Sehun. Before he could comment, Victoria spoke up.

      “You're pretty knowledgeable about this, Sehun.”

      “Yeah...I've had a baby in the past,” Sehun stated simply, not entirely wanting to go into details.

      “Oh...You're awfully young...”

      “Some things happened,” Sehun sighed. Victoria nodded and didn't press the subject any further.

      “Well, that's probably good for Joonmyun, honestly. You'll be able to talk him through things and calm him down a bit. Amber on the other hand, is going to have the joy of experiencing childbirth without any real experienced person to talk her through things.”

      “Aren't you a doctor though, Victoria?” Henry asked innocently. She smiled a bit.

      “I'm a doctor, yes, but I've never had a baby. I know the technical things, but I've never experienced it first hand.”

      “I see...” Henry mumbled.

      “But Amber's in good hands. Don't be too scared.”

      “I'm not. I trust you,” Henry quickly corrected. “I just don't want Amber to be in a lot of pain...”

      “Well, that's part of childbirth. I think there's something else you two should be focusing on though.”  
      “What's that?” Amber asked.

      “Figuring out names for your babies. Have you given it any thought at all?” Victoria asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

      “Yeah...Of course we have...We decided Henry would name the girl and I would name the boy.”

      “So? Have you picked names then?” Victoria asked.

      “Mm, I have,” Amber stated.

      “Me too,” Henry exclaimed.

      “Have you told each other...?” Victoria then asked.

      “Er...No...” Amber muttered.

      “Well, now's as good a time as any,” the doctor sighed.

      “I was thinking of naming the boy Aaron...” Amber mumbled. Henry nodded.

      “I like that. I think it fits well~” He practically sang.

      “What about the girl?” Amber then asked.

      “Uh...I was wondering...if we could name her Reina...”

      “Hmm...It has a nice sound to it...Amber, Aaron, Henry, Reina~ They flow together, don't you think?” Amber said, giggling a bit. Henry nodded.

      “Well, glad that got ironed out. I swear communication is lacking between you guys. How did you even GET pregnant!? You can't even talk to each other...”

      “Some of us talk with our bodies,” Amber teased, sticking her tongue out.

      “And look where that's gotten you,” Victoria fussed back, sticking her tongue out as well. Joonmyun couldn't help but giggle at them. That was when the attention shifted onto him.

      “So? Do you have a name for your baby yet?” Victoria asked gently.

 

      She always took a soft tone with Joonmyun, and the other couldn't help but like it. Victoria really was a good, gentle person. Joonmyun then realized the others in the room were waiting for an answer. He glanced at Sehun and after receiving a soft smile, looked back at Victoria.

      “We plan to call him Minki.”

      “Aww, that's a nice name! I'm so glad you guys are starting to figure things out~” Victoria said happily.

      “We're not as hopeless as you think we are,” Amber huffed.

      “I don't know...” Victoria joked back. “You're pretty unprepared and hopeless to me~”

      “Oh shut up! We'll be just fine! You watch!”

      “Oh, I'm sure I will. Someone has to make sure the babies survive,” Victoria said with a wink.

 

      Amber and Victoria continued to jokingly abuse each other and the boys laughed. The two of them certainly had a lot of good comebacks for each other. Later, Victoria helped cook dinner. She ate with them before heading back to her house.

 

      Amber retired to her room the earliest. She was a lot bigger and tired easily. Even Joonmyun was finally starting to look bigger. Henry followed after her, not wanting to be away from her for too long. Part of it was because he was protective. The other part was because he was completely in love and attached to her. At least, that was how Joonmyun saw it. He didn't know if Amber and Henry knew about love, but they certainly seemed to be finding their way through things well enough.

 

      Sehun wrapped his arm around Joonmyun's waist and lead him back to their room. When they got inside, Joonmyun sat down on the bed, groaning and rubbing his back. Sehun noticed and immediately sat beside him, rubbing the area Joonmyun was.

      “Does it hurt here?” He asked softly.

      “It's just getting hard to carry a baby around...they get heavy...” Joonmyun said tiredly.

      “They do...” Sehun sighed.

 

      He wrapped his arms around Joonmyun and rested his chin on the older's shoulder. They didn't say much, but Sehun would plant a kiss on Joonmyun's cheek every so often. When the older's head started bobbing forward as he nodded off to sleep, Sehun snorted a bit and loosened his grip.

      “Lay down. You're tired.”

      “Alright...”

 

      Sehun helped him lay down on his back. Joonmyun sighed tiredly and rubbed his stomach before letting his arm flop over his eyes. He felt Sehun rub the side of his thigh. Eventually, he felt a pair of hands gently massaging his legs. He didn't mind one bit though. He appreciated any sort of massage these days. Eventually, he spoke up.

      “Thank you...”

      “Hm?” Sehun asked.

      “For helping me...with everything.”

      “Of course.” There was a pause and Sehun almost thought Joonmyun had fallen asleep.

      “Hey Sehun...”

      “Yeah?”

      “Was your pregnancy painful?” He heard Sehun sigh.

      “Well, yes, a little...but I don't think it'll be as painful as Amber's...”

      “So then...what was it like...?” Sehun stopped rubbing his legs and scooted closer. He placed his hands timidly on Joonmyun's stomach and looked at him gently.

      “Well, you'll feel contractions...and as those get stronger, it'll hurt...”

      “I see...” Joonmyun whispered, a hint of fear in his voice.

      “The scariest part is the baby will be trying to push out...but it doesn't really have a safe way out...When they morphed male bodies ages ago, they didn't really think the birth thing through all that well...Sure, it's easy enough to get the men pregnant...but the baby can't be delivered that same way...It would be way too detrimental to both the parent and the baby. They should have just given us a way to push the baby out as well...”

 

      Joonmyun looked up at him, worry and horror in his eyes. Sehun sighed and kissed his nose softly. He could tell the older boy was quickly becoming scared of the ordeal he would soon go through, and Sehun couldn't blame him. It had permanently messed him up emotionally. Still, he had to try and comfort him.

      “Don't worry, ok? Victoria will put you on pain medication. She'll use anesthesia and then she'll get the baby out. You'll be just fine,” he soothed. “And then you'll get to hold Minki. Aren't you excited?” Sehun watched as Joonmyun's eyes lit up.

      “I hadn't thought of that...”

      “It'll be the first time you'll ever hold our baby. Won't that be exciting?”

      “Did you ever hold your baby?”

      “No...I never saw it...They took it away from me as soon as it was born...”

      “So this will be your first time seeing a baby as well then?”

      “Mhm.”

      “And holding one...?”

      “Yep. I've never held a baby before either...”

      “You'll have to be sure to hold Minki too! He's your baby as well.”

      “I know,” Sehun whispered, leaning down to kiss Joonmyun on the lips. “I can't wait to hold him, scared as I am...”

      “You're scared?”

      “I don't know what I'm going to do with a baby...I don't know how to raise one, I don't know how to take care of one...I don't know how to be a parent...”

      “Just love him...I think that'll be enough to get you through the rest...”

      “You think?”

      “Mhm.”

      “What if I drop him?”

      “Hold him carefully and gently...like how you hold me, but even more so. Then everything will be fine.”

      “I'll try...”

      “You'll be just fine,” Joonmyun reassured, leaning forward a bit to reconnect his lips with Sehun's.

 

      The two kissed a few more times. They were soft, simple kisses. The actions managed to calm down Joonmyun though. It would be a lie if he said he wasn't horrified about giving birth. It was creeping up on him quicker than he had expected as well. He had to wonder what his life would have been like if he had left Sehun and continued on his own, seeing the doctor and obeying society's rules. He figured things might have been a lot easier, and he would have experienced a lot less pain. He would have missed out on a life full of love though, and that was something he was grateful for every day.

 

      Sehun flopped down on the bed next to him and pulled the covers over them. After, he poked the other's cheek, smiling mischievously.

      “What are you thinking about?” He asked.

      “Hm?”

      “You're smiling. What are you thinking about?”

      “Ah...Just...Everything that's happened up until now.”

      “That makes you smile?”

      “Mhm.”

      “Why? It's been hard and painful, hasn't it?”

      “Mm...and it will be in the future too...but you know...”

      “What?”

      “If I could go back in time and change everything, there isn't a thing I would change.” Sehun hummed and nodded.

      “I wish I would have treated you better...but I'm glad things are the way they are now...Life seemed so dull before...Now it feels worth living.” Joonmyun smiled an ear to ear smile.

      “Oh Sehun, I love you~” He cooed. The younger laughed a bit, sticking his tongue out in disgust with how peppy and cheesy the older was being. Still, he loved to say the words back.

      “Kim Joonmyun, I love you,” he replied, smiling back just as radiantly.

 

      They cuddled closer to each other. Joonmyun was still nervous, but Sehun always seemed to make things better. He closed his eyes, letting sleep finally take him. The weight on his shoulders felt just a bit lighter.


	28. Chapter 28

      More time went on. The two couples were both becoming extremely anxious. Amber's baby was due any day now. They were starting to wonder just how long they would be safe as well. Victoria was always cautious when she came to see them so they wouldn't be discovered by others, but with the babies soon to be delivered, the soon-to-be-parents couldn't help but feel extra paranoid. The last thing they needed was to be found before the two pregnant people could safely give birth.

 

      Amber was moving around a lot less in recent days. She'd gotten extremely round, so often times, she only moved when she really needed to. The longest trip she'd had was sneaking out at night so Victoria could do an ultrasound and make sure the babies were facing the right direction for her to give birth naturally, which thankfully they were. Henry had even started taking food to her when she felt too tired to leave the bedroom. He stayed by her a lot of the time, afraid to leave her side, should she need him.

 

      Amber was laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling one day. She wanted nothing more than to get some fresh air. They'd been trapped inside the abandoned building for months now, and Amber hated how stuffy it was. Victoria told her it was spring now as well. Amber wanted to see it with her own eyes though. Sneaking out that one night hardly allowed her to experience any of spring. Hearing about it from Victoria just made her urge worse.

 

      She groaned, wishing she wasn't as pregnant as she was. She might have attempted to sneak out for some fresh air before when she was smaller, but now, she couldn't do anything remotely sneaky. At least things would be changing soon. She doubted any of them would stick around in the city after the babies were born. They didn't belong there, nor did they want to be there.

 

      She puffed her cheeks out. She wanted something to do with her time. Passing the days was becoming so taxing and boring. Henry usually talked to her, but he wasn't in the room right at that moment and she was too lazy to call him. She felt something weird in her stomach and her head perked up. She'd gotten used to being a punching bag for two sets of fists, but this felt slightly different.

 

      She laid her head back down and looked at the ceiling again. She felt it again and wondered if her babies were kicking. It still felt different, so she decided to keep an eye on it it. The feeling just persisted for a while, not really changing, so she found herself losing interest. She almost thought of taking a nap out of boredom.

 

      Eventually, she felt a stronger force though. She propped up on her elbows and looked down at her stomach, eyes wide. It certainly didn't feel like one of her babies. She bit her lip and waited as the pressure subsided. She almost let out a sigh of relief, but she was cut off when she felt it once again. She finally let out her sigh, realizing what was going on. She was having contractions.

 

      She tried to take deep breaths to calm down, but her heart was starting to race. Victoria had told her to time the contractions. They would get stronger and closer together as time went on. First things first though, she needed Henry. He needed to be beside her and he needed to call Victoria.

 

      She called for the boy. Her heart sunk when he didn't come shortly after. She called for him again, a bit louder and a hint of desperation in her voice. Soon, she heard footsteps approaching quickly and the door opened. Henry was at her side seconds later.

      “What's wrong?” He asked, looking slightly alarmed.

      “I think...I'm having contractions...”

      “A-Are you sure?”

      “Uh-huh...I've been feeling weird for a while now, but they recently got a bit stronger...”

      “Ok...” Henry responded, completely flustered. He glanced around the room and grabbed Amber's phone from the bedside table. “I-I need to call Victoria...” He stuttered, more to himself than to Amber.

 

      He searched through the contacts and dialed the doctor's number. While he waited for the line to connect, he gently pushed Amber back down on the bed, since she had still been up on her elbows. He squeezed her shoulder encouragingly and practically jumped when the line connected.

      “Hello?” Victoria asked.

      “H-Hi, V-Victoria...?”

      “What's going on?” The doctor asked, immediately noticing how shaken up Henry seemed.

      “I-I think...it's time...Amber said she's having contractions...” He heard Victoria let out a deep sigh on the other end.

      “Alright, listen to me. Get a lot of towels. A LOT. You can never have too many. You're also going to want to have some warm water, you understand? Dip a towel in that and use it on her back and stomach, basically anywhere where she's tense. That will help her relax a bit. Also, prop her up into a sitting position. If she's laying down, her contractions will be slower and it'll prolong the pain.”

      “O-Ok...”

      “I'll be there soon.”

      “Alright...”

 

      Victoria hung up the phone abruptly. Henry gulped and glanced around the room. There weren't enough pillows to prop Amber up all the way, so he'd need to get more of those. He stood up and was about to walk away from the bed, but a hand yanked on his wrist, startling him a bit.

      “Don't leave...Please don't leave...” Amber said quietly, looking at him with pleading eyes.

 

      Henry let out a shaky breath before nodding and sitting down next to her again. Amber wasn't usually clingy, so the fact that she was like this meant she was far more scared than she was letting on. He held her hand between both of his then looked towards the door. Joonmyun and Sehun were in their room a little further down the hall. If he called loud enough, they'd probably hear him.

      “SEHUN!!!” He shouted. He saw Amber wince from his yell and he looked at her apologetically.

 

      He heard shuffling from down the hall and soon enough, the younger boy had opened the door and peaked inside, Joonmyun at his side.

      “What's up?” Sehun asked.

      “Amber's, uh...gonna give birth I think,” Henry answered. The two younger boys' eyes flew wide open. “Do you think you could do me a favor and get some stuff for me? I don't want to leave Amber.”

      “Of course,” Sehun answered immediately. Joonmyun nodded rapidly.

      “Great. I need some warm water, a lot of towels, and extra pillows.”

      “Alright. We're on it.”

      “Thanks.”

 

      The door closed and Henry sighed. He was insanely nervous. He wasn't sure he was ready to take care of kids, and he certainly wasn't ready to witness Amber give birth. Victoria had taught them what it was like, but to Henry, it was still only words. He was scared about what Amber was going to have to go through. He took a deep, calming breath before leaning over and kissing Amber on the forehead.

      “It's gonna be ok,” he soothed. She bit her lip and nodded at him. He ran his thumb along her hand, hoping and praying that Victoria would be there soon.

 

~*~

      Sehun pulled Joonmyun along behind him down the hall. He stopped outside one of the bedrooms and turned to him.

      “Can you get the pillows and give them to Henry?”

      “What about the towels and the water? Will you need help?”

      “I can handle it. The showers are further away and we probably should hurry, and I'm a bit faster than you, no offense...” Joonmyun rolled his eyes before smiling at him.

      “Fine. I'll see you soon then.”

      “Yeah.”

 

      They split up and Sehun ran down the hall. Joonmyun couldn't help but whistle as he watched the boy go. It had been ages since he had ran. He shook himself out of his thoughts and went into one of the rooms. He grabbed the pillows from the bed, then quickly left. He went into another room and got more. He brought them back to Henry and set them on the bed next to Amber. He then left to go get more. After bringing in a few more, Henry told him it was fine. After that, he started helping Henry prop Amber up on the pillows, though there wasn't much he could do since he really couldn't bend over with his own stomach the size of a melon.

 

      Soon, Sehun rushed back in the room. He had a bucket from a utility closet that he'd filled with water in his hands and had several towels draped over his shoulders and arms. Joonmyun helped him shed the multiple layers of towels and folded them up. He then placed them beside Henry. The older boy thanked them then turned back to Amber.

      “How are you doing?” He asked softly.

      “They're getting stronger...Is Victoria here yet?”

      “Not yet...”

      “We're going to leave you two alone,” Sehun said quietly, pulling Joonmyun to his side before backing away towards the door.

      “Ok. Thanks, you guys,” Henry answered. When the two were gone, Amber finally spoke up.

      “I'm scared...” She whimpered.

      “I know. It'll be ok,” Henry said, leaning forward to hug her.

 

      About 10 minutes later, Victoria walked into the room carrying a box of medical supplies. She glanced at Amber, then at the piles of towels before letting out a deep breath. She walked over to the bed and placed a few towels around Amber. She smiled at Henry reassuringly. Next, she slid Amber's pants off and patted her thigh.

      “Alright, Amber. It's finally time. Remember your breathing.”

      “Is this going to be long?” Amber asked, terror in her voice.

      “It might be. Childbirth is different for everyone. It doesn't seem like your body's completely ready to push the babies out yet, so we're going to have to wait a little bit longer.” Amber whimpered and Henry kissed her forehead.

      “You'll be ok,” he soothed.

      “Henry, I'm putting you in charge of comforting her, ok? Make sure she's breathing well and if she's aching, use the hot water.”

      “A-Alright...”

 

      All they could do at that point was wait. Amber was still holding one of Henry's hands and was squeezing it so tightly his hand was starting to change colors. He didn't really care at that point though. If it was helping her, he'd put up with a bruised hand.

 

~*~

      Joonmyun sat on the edge of the bed, tapping his feet impatiently on the ground. Sehun had been leaning against the wall near the door, listening in case their names were called and they needed to run more errands. Noticing how tense Joonmyun was though, he let out a sigh and sat down beside the boy. He wrapped his arm around Joonmyun's shoulder and the older buried his face in his chest.

 

      Time seemed to drag on. They sat in silence for hours, their hearts pounding. Every once in a while, they could hear Amber cry out in pain as well as Victoria trying to instruct her calmly. Joonmyun hated it. He thought his childbirth was going to be scary, but it was nothing compared to what Amber must be feeling. At one point, Sehun kissed his head and Joonmyun looked up at him.

      “It won't be this painful for you,” the younger stated. Joonmyun nodded.

      “It's really scary, isn't it?”

      “It can be...but I'll be right there with you, so it won't be as scary...Not only that, but just think, once it's over, we'll have a baby. Aren't you excited?”

      “Mhm.”

      “There you have it! I'm sure Amber will be fine, and I bet she and Henry will both be super excited about their babies, even if they try to make it seem like they aren't” Joonmyun nodded and snuggled closer to the younger.

      “Thank you, Sehun.”

 

~*~

      Amber wasn't sure how much time had gone on. Victoria had told her it was ok for her to start pushing, but Amber never expected it to be this hard and painful. Tears were rolling down her cheeks constantly, though Henry made sure to wipe them away with the hand that wasn't turning purple from her iron grip.

 

      Amber continued to push, feeling like it was mostly in vain. After a particularly strong push, however, she heard Victoria gasp excitedly.

      “You're doing it, Amber!” She said excitedly. “Keep pushing, just like that!”

 

      Amber wanted to yell at her, say that it was a lot easier said than done, but all that really came out was another scream. This time, Henry gasped as well. He wrapped his free hand around her shoulders and kissed her temple.

      “You can do it, Amber! Just a bit more!” He called.

 

      Amber set aside her violent thoughts of smacking them both and proceeded to do as told. The more she pushed, the sooner it would be over, right? She let out another cry as pain shot through her body. Soon, another cry filled the room, but it was much higher pitched than Amber's. The mother gasped and her eyes went wide. Henry hugged her shoulders firmly.

      “You did it, Amber!” Victoria cried. One baby's out now. You can do this! Just a little longer!”

 

      Victoria cut the placenta, took care of and cleaned the baby, and quickly wrapped it in a few towels to keep it warm. Amber groaned and tears streaked down her cheeks. She didn't want to do this anymore. Still, there wasn't much she could do. She took a few calming breaths and the struggle continued.

 

      Thankfully, the second baby came much quicker than the first had. Within 10 minutes, another cry rang through the air. Victoria repeated the process for this baby, then proceeded to do a further in depth cleaning of the babies while Amber finished delivering the placenta.

 

      Amber let her head rest against Henry's shoulder. She was covered in sweat and completely exhausted. She could see Victoria with the babies though, and she couldn't help but feel curious. She felt Henry hug her close and kiss her head.

      “You did so well, Amber,” he whispered. “I'm so proud of you!”

 

      She let out a small laugh. She was really just dazed and in disbelief about everything that had just happened. Henry's words didn't even seem to mean much to her. That is, until Victoria walked over, holding two small bundles of towels in her hands.

      “Alright, you two...You're about to be the first couple to hold your babies...You're about to be the first real parents in a long time...Are you ready?”

      “No...” Amber whimpered. Victoria laughed softly and turned to Henry.

      “This is Reina,” she whispered, holding one of the babies in front of him. “She's the older one.”

 

      Henry gently slid his arm out from around Amber's shoulders and carefully grabbed Reina. All he could do was stare wide-eyed at the tiny little girl in his arms. Next, Victoria sat on the bed beside Henry, looking gently at Amber. She used one hand to move Amber's arms into a cradle position, then placed the second bundle in them.

      “And this is Aaron. Say hello to your babies, you two,” Victoria whispered softly.

 

      She watched as fresh tears threatened to fall from Amber's eyes. Henry wasn't doing much better. A warm smile graced Victoria's face and she quietly got up. She cleaned up the surrounding area and then left them alone so they could have a much needed bonding session. When they were alone, Henry was the first to speak up.

      “Amber...She's beautiful...”

      “You think?”

      “Mhm...”

      “Good, cuz I think this little one inherited your looks.”

      “Hey!” Henry whined. Amber laughed tiredly.

      “I'm just joking. He did inherit some of your looks, but I think that's a good thing.”

      “Childbirth is really...something...”

      “Yeah...” Amber sighed. “Henry, I wanna tell you something...”

      “What's that?”

      “We are never having children again, unless they come from your stomach, and I can guarantee that's not going to happen as long as you're with me.” Henry snorted and smiled.

      “It's fine. I think two will be more than enough. I don't want you to go through that again either...” He mumbled the last sentence, but Amber still heard it.

      “Henry, come closer. I want to see Reina.”

 

      Henry nodded and leaned back. He rested his body on the edge of the pillows, right next to Amber, and held the little girl close to Aaron. Amber kissed his jaw and nuzzled against his cheek before turning her attention back to the babies. Henry smiled widely before leaning down to kiss Amber on the lips. They giggled a bit before snuggling closer together to look at the two new additions to their lives.


	29. Chapter 29

      After Amber had rested and gotten cleaned up a bit, Sehun and Joonmyun were allowed into the room. They walked in alongside Victoria, who was going to stay the night and help Amber and Henry out with the children. The two still-expecting parents walked over cautiously. They could only stare in wonder at the two babies.

      “They're so small...” Joonmyun gasped quietly.

      “They always start out that way,” Victoria said gently. “But they'll grow pretty fast, believe me.”

      “Do you want to hold them?” Amber asked softly. Both Joonmyun and Sehun gaped at her.

      “W-What if we drop them...?” Sehun practically whispered.

      “Just hold them carefully. You'll have your own baby to hold soon enough,” Henry soothed.

 

      The two boys exchanged nervous glances before getting closer to Amber and Henry. They were each passed a baby. Joonmyun couldn't help but gasp. They were so light and small. He poked at the baby's cheeks, smiling unconsciously at how chubby the were. Soon, 5 round fingers wrapped around his own. He bit his lip, trying to calm down. Was this how it was going to feel holding Minki?

 

      Sehun stared with wide eyes at the small baby in his arms. He didn't know the first thing about children, or what to do with them. He was honestly so incredibly nervous he felt his eyes stinging with tears. How on earth was he going to help take care of Minki?

 

      Aaron, who was in Sehun's arms, started fussing a bit and the boy immediately gave him back to Henry, too horrified to handle the situation. Henry didn't really know how to calm the baby either. Victoria giggled a bit then glanced at Amber.

      “I think they're hungry,” she said quietly to the other woman. Amber nodded, knowing what she meant, and looked at the boys.

      “Guys, Victoria and I have to do some personal things, so why don't you go find a bed for these two. I want it to have railing so they can't fall out, ok?”

      “Alright...” Henry answered.

 

      He passed the baby to Victoria, then grabbed the still-shocked Sehun and pulled him towards the door. Joonmyun handed the baby back to Amber, whispering words of congratulations to her, before wandering off after Sehun and Henry.

 

      Victoria then began to instruct Amber on how to breastfeed. She had briefly explained it to her before, but it was Amber's first time attempting it obviously. The new mom was embarrassed and awkward, but it wasn't really a bad thing either. Victoria explained that all babies would drink formula in the city, even though the mothers could and should breastfeed. Amber assumed they didn't because a bond would form between the mother and child. It was almost empowering to be able to hold her children and provide for them though. Was that what being a mother was like?

 

~*~

      Henry and Sehun walked into another one of the unused bedrooms. They stared at a bed, trying to figure out how they could put some sort of railing on it, but were struggling for answers. Joonmyun came in and glanced between the bed and then other two, then eventually spoke up.

      “What about a storage container? Like the one we found the clothes in? We could take the clothes out and clean it. It has 4 walls, so they won't roll out...and we can place a few pillows inside to give them some padding...”

      “That's actually not a bad idea,” Sehun agreed.

      “I'll go get the container and clean it out. You two want to get some pillows?” Henry asked.

      “Apparently that's what I'm good at,” Joonmyun sighed.

 

      Sehun laughed a bit and kissed his cheek. Henry nodded, confused at the comment, but didn't dwell on it too much. He rushed off towards the bathrooms and Sehun and Joonmyun began hunting for more pillows. When Henry returned with the container, they placed the pillows inside. After, they knocked on the door, waiting to be allowed entrance. It was a while before they heard a response.

 

      When they went in, both babies were unconscious in Amber's arms. Henry placed the container next to the bed and Amber timidly placed the babies inside. Henry placed a few towel over them since they didn't really have any blankets small enough. After that, Amber sighed and laid back down on the bed. Victoria ushered Sehun and Joonmyun out of the room. Amber needed her rest.

 

      Henry laid down beside Amber and ran his hands through her hair. It had actually gotten fairly long, since they hadn't been cutting it recently. He liked it though. He kissed her forehead and pulled her against his body. She hummed and wrapped her arm around his waist. Soon enough, they were both out cold.

 

      Victoria smiled gently at them. She went to another room and grabbed both thick and thin blankets. She laid the thick ones down on the ground and sat on top of them. That would be her bed for the night. She'd taught Amber how to feed her children, but she would have to teach them other things like how to change diapers, which she'd brought along, soon enough. It was going to get a lot busier for the two now.

 

~*~

      A week soon went by. Amber was recovering well, but still seemed tired. Aaron and Reina seemed rather mellow compared to the images of babies Henry and Amber had. Victoria explained it was because they were newborns. They would discover the 'joy' of older children eventually.

 

      Sehun and Joonmyun were starting to become excited. Sehun was still extremely scared, and in truth Joonmyun was too, but the latter was also so anxious to finally meet his baby that it outweighed his fear. He wanted to know how his baby would look. How it would feel in his arms.

 

      The two boys had been curled up on bed together talking all morning. Sehun was sitting with his back against the wall and Joonmyun was leaning against him. They were mostly talking about simple things, memories, and the baby. Joonmyun could tell Sehun was hesitant about the baby, but he could also see determination in the boy's eyes. He had to admire that.

 

      Eventually, Sehun checked the time and gasped at how late it was. They hadn't really eaten much that day. He sat Joonmyun up then slid off the bed, saying they should go get food. Joonmyun agreed. His stomach had been feeling weird for a while, so he figured he was probably hungry. Sehun helped in to his feet, then started walking, hand in hand, towards the door.

 

      Joonmyun's stomach started to hurt all of a sudden though so he stopped in his tracks and grabbed it. Sehun turned around to look at him and immediately wrapped his free hand around the boy's back. Joonmyun whimpered as another wave came.

      “What's wrong?” Sehun whispered, his voice shaking.

      “My stomach...” The older managed to get out.

 

      Another wave came and Joonmyun's shaking knees gave out. Sehun was quick to support the boy, carefully lowering him to the ground. He rubbed his back and Joonmyun leaned against him.

      “Sehun...A-Am I having contractions?” Joonmyun asked, innocent and scared.

      “I don't know...I-Is the pain coming in intervals?”

      “Yeah...”

      “T-Then let's time them...You aren't supposed to give birth for another 3 weeks...”

 

      Sehun pulled out his phone and used the stop watch to time the intervals. He gulped as they seemed to be constant, and according to Joonmyun, they weren't getting any softer. The older boy was going into labor. Sehun let out a sigh and hugged Joonmyun close.

      “HENRY!” Sehun called towards the door. Said boy opened the door seconds later.

      “What's u- Oh God! Joonmyun, are you ok!?” He gasped, noting the situation.

      “Henry, you need to call Victoria. I think Joonmyun's in labor...”

      “H-His baby's not due yet though, is it?”

      “Not officially, but the baby wants to come early, it seems,” Sehun answered.

      “Alright. I'll call her...”

 

      Henry ran back to his room and explained the situation to Amber. The girl immediately grabbed her phone, but Henry took it from her. Amber looked at him questioningly and he just smiled.

      “I think you should go help Joonmyun,” he whispered. “He seems really scared and you've been through this recently so...I'll make the call. You stay with him and Sehun.”

      “Alright...”

 

      Amber left the room. Henry dialed the number and waited for Victoria to pick up the phone. He walked over to the makeshift crib and knelt down, rubbing his finger gently on Aaron's cheek then on Reina's. When the other line picked up, Henry jumped, thankfully not poking either of the babies in the process.

      “Hello?” Victoria asked.

      “Hey...Victoria...?”

      “Henry? What's wrong. Are the babies ok?”

      “Yeah, they're fine...It's Joonmyun...”

      “What? What's wrong!?” The doctor gasped.

      “I-I think he's in labor...”

      “Oh no...” Victoria groaned.

      “Will he be ok? He needs help...He needs you!”

      “He'll be fine...Look, have Sehun bring him to the hospital. Go through the side door you went through when you first found me, alright?”

      “Ok.”

      “I'll get things ready here...”

      “Alright...”

 

      She hung up the phone abruptly and Henry sighed. He checked the kids one last time to make sure they were still fine and sleeping, then headed to Sehun's room.

 

~*~

      Joonmyun was curled up in Sehun's arms, trying his best to stay calm. Sehun was rubbing his back and trying to help the older boy keep track of his breathing. Amber was assisting and whispering words of reassurance. When Henry burst through the door, all three looked up at him.

      “Victoria said to go to the hospital. Use the side door.”

      “You mean...Sehun carry him there? It's daylight though...Someone will probably see him, even from the side door!”

      “Amber, I don't think we really have much of an option,” Sehun sighed, adjusting Joonmyun against him. “She said she'd be ready?”

      “Y-Yeah...” Henry answered.

      “Then I'm gonna take Joonmyun there. You two stay here.”

      “Be careful...” Amber warned. Sehun nodded and leaned closer to Joonmyun.

      “I need you to wrap your arms around my neck and hold on, ok?” He whispered into the boy's ear.

 

      He received a slight nod and soon two shaking arms were around his neck. He slipped one hand under the boy's legs and another around his back, then picked him up. Henry stepped aside so Sehun could get through the door and soon he was rushing through the hall and out of his building. Thankfully the hospital was nearby.

 

~*~

      Victoria walked quickly through the halls of the hospital. She stopped by a random room and grabbed a scalpel. She gripped it tightly and kept her hand hidden behind her back. After, she made her way through the halls. She spotted the two nurses who normally work with her and waved them over with her free hand. Naturally, they came without any hesitation.

 

      She lead the girls to one of the empty rooms and shut the door behind them. When she let out a shaky sigh, both of the nurses looked at her in worry.

      “Victoria...What's wrong?” One asked.

      “I need to ask a huge favor of you two...” She whispered.

      “What's that?” The other nurse asked.

      “I need you to help me operate on someone...”

      “Of course...Why wouldn't we? Are they scheduled or an emergency case?” The first answered.

      “Emergency...” Victoria started. “Here's the thing though...You can't tell ANYONE about this person.”

      “Well, their information is usually kept just between the doctors and nurses.”

      “It can't even be between those...You need to keep it between the three of us, got it?”

      “Victoria...Who is this person?” The second asked.

      “I can't really tell you a lot of details...but they need a C-Section...and it would be great if you two could help me...”

      “Alright,” the first nurse agreed and the second nodded. Victoria sighed in relief, then pulled the scalpel out and pointed it at them. The two gasped and backed away.

      “Victoria! What are you doing!?”

      “I forced you to help me, do you understand?”

      “V-Victoria...?”

      “Do you understand!?”

      “Y-Yes...Why are you threatening us? There are cameras! What if you get in trouble?” The doctor sighed and looked at the two sadly.

      “That's for the best.”

      “Victoria...” The other nurse started. “Are you in trouble?”

      “You could say that...I don't want you two to suffer because of me...so it's best this way...” The two nurses glanced between each other. “Anyways, the patient is probably here by now. I'm going to go to them. Can you two set up an operating room for me and get the anesthetics ready?”

      “Yes, ma'am...”

      “Thank you...I'm sorry.”

 

      Victoria stepped to the side, scalpel still raised. The two nurses rushed out of the room and down the hall. Victoria set the scalpel down on one of the tool trays in the room and ran her hand through her hair. Without dwelling on the impending punishment awaiting her, she left the room and went to find Sehun.

 

      She found the boy looking around nervously, Joonmyun in his arms. When he spotted her, he rushed over. She smiled weakly at him, then ran her fingers through Joonmyun's hair.

      “Are you ready?” She asked softly. The boy said nothing and she ruffled his hair a bit. “You'll be ok.” She looked at Sehun with determination. “Follow me.”

 

      She lead them to the operating rooms. One of the nurses from earlier waved and Victoria rushed towards her, making sure Sehun was still behind her and ignoring some of the confused looks she was given. The door was shut behind the two boys and Sehun set Joonmyun down on the bed in the room. Victoria soon came over and began to administer the anesthesia.

      “This is going to numb the lower half of your body, ok Joonmyun?”

      “A-Alright...” He mumbled.

      “Can I stay here?” Sehun asked.

      “Normally, you wouldn't have even come in here with him to begin with, but you don't have anywhere else to go. Not only that, but he needs you, so you're definitely staying here.”

 

      Sehun nodded and pulled a stool up next to the bed. He grabbed Joonmyun's hand in between both of his. The nurses gave him curious glances, but Victoria soon had them back to work prepping for the operation. Soon enough, Victoria was at Joonmyun's side, sliding his shirt up. She squeezed his shoulder firmly.

      “Alright, Joonmyun. We're going to start now. Remember to keep calm. It'll all be over before you know it and then you'll be able to see Minki.”

      “K...”

 

      Victoria left his side and came back with tools. She made sure Joonmyun couldn't feel any pain by pinching his skin. Upon receiving a favorable answer, she began the process, the two nurses flitting around by her side helping her when needed.

 

      Sehun made sure to talk to Joonmyun and keep the boy calm while everything was happening. He would kiss his forehead whenever the older started shaking too badly. He'd been through this before, so he knew how nervous and scared Joonmyun was feeling. Sehun wasn't even paying attention to what Victoria was doing, so it came as a surprise to him when he heard a sudden cry.

 

      Joonmyun's eyes widened and Sehun glanced up and watched as Victoria pulled a small baby the rest of the way out of Joonmyun's stomach and handed it to the nurses, who were muttering amongst themselves about how the baby wasn't actually a girl. Sehun couldn't help but chuckle a bit. Victoria must not have told them all the details of the surgery. He was brought back to reality by a soft squeeze on his hand.

      “D-Did you see him? I-Is he ok?” The older boy asked.

      “He's fine, Joonmyun. You did so well. Victoria will take care of the rest,” Sehun soothed, resting his forehead on top of Joonmyun's and kissing his lips softly. “I'm so proud of you.”

 

      The longest part of the operation was stitching Joonmyun up. Sehun would glance at the nurses from time to time as they cleaned Minki. He wanted to make sure their baby was safe and ok. Eventually, Victoria let out a relieved sigh, causing both boys to look up at her.

      “Alright, Joonmyun. It's over. You did it.”

 

      She walked over to the other two nurses, who had finished bundling Minki in a blanket. She grabbed him and walked over to the two parents.

      “Do you want to hold him now?”

      “Yes!” Joonmyun answered, almost desperately.

 

      Victoria giggled slightly. She carefully laid the baby in Joonmyun's arms. The older boy seemed rather weak, so Sehun almost instinctively wrapped his own arms around Joonmyun's and the baby.

      “How does it feel?” Victoria asked in a whisper. “You're finally holding your baby...How do you feel?”

      “I can't even begin to tell you...” Joonmyun whimpered, tears apparent in his eyes. Victoria glanced at Sehun, who was also bordering on crying.

      “He's so small...” Sehun managed to get out. “He seems even smaller than Aaron and Reina...”

      “He is,” Victoria answered. “He's a bit small since he came early, but he was still full-term, so he's not in danger, thankfully.”

 

      Both boys just stared at their baby, mouths gaping and quivering. Victoria took that as her cue to let them have some time alone. She walked over to the other nurses, who were still dumbfounded, but were starting to realize just what Victoria had gotten herself into. She ushered them out of the room and the two boys were left alone.

 

      Sehun was leaning close to Joonmyun, so that Minki could see both of them and they could see him. The small boy stared up at them with innocent, tired eyes. Tears rolled down Joonmyun's cheeks and he gently ran his fingers from Minki's forehead down his cheek. He gulped and smiled.

      “Hi, Minki...Hi, my baby...” He said quietly, his voice cracking.

 

      Sehun laughed a bit at the sound, but his own voice wasn't really fairing any better. He looked at Minki, who'd begun dozing off at this point and cupped the top of his head in his hand. He couldn't get over just how small Minki was. He cleared his throat awkwardly.

      “H-Hey, Minki...W-We're y-your parents...I-It's nice to meet you...”

 

      He knew it sounded awkward, but he didn't care. He was overwhelmed at the moment and that sort of greeting was really all he could muster. He leaned down and pressed his lips to Minki's forehead, kissing him gently. After, he looked at Joonmyun, his eyes practically shining, and kissed his lips, nibbling at them here and there.

 

      Joonmyun heard the other boy sniffle as he kissed him. When the younger pulled away, tears were streaking down his cheeks and Joonmyun's eyes went wide. He was about to ask what the matter was, since Sehun usually wasn't one to cry. Sehun more or less answered that question for him though.

      “He's beautiful, Joonmyun...” The older smiled and nodded.

      “Yeah...He is...”


	30. Chapter 30

      Sehun and Joonmyun stared at Minki for what seemed like an eternity. Still, it didn't seem real to them that their baby was in their arms. Sehun still had one arm wrapped around Minki and Joonmyun's arms, but the other had moved to the older boy's head, stroking his hair. Sehun could see the exhaustion in the boy's face, but Joonmyun seemed determined to stay awake and continue to ogle at Minki.

 

      The door to the room opened and Victoria came in, looking drained and nervous. She had a rather large, stuffed backpack on. Sehun sat up a bit and watched as she walked over to them.

      “What is it?” He asked quietly.

      “We can't stay here much longer,” she sighed. Sehun's eyes went wide.

      “What do you mean!?”

      “You two are on camera, and I'm on camera doing questionable things like helping you and threatening nurses. We have a police force of sorts that dispatches...there's no doubt they're on their way by now...”

      “Yeah...We know the feeling,” Sehun sighed. Something still didn't site well with him though. “Joonmyun just had surgery though! And the baby was just born! You seriously expect us to just leave now!? They're hardly in any condition to!”

      “We aren't safe. Look, I've already packed medical supplies for Joonmyun and baby supplies. Amber and Henry are going to meet us as well. I just need to get you two out of the hospital, then we can sneak out of the city.” Sehun sighed.

      “Alright...What should we do?”

      “I'll carry Minki and keep him safe. You carry Joonmyun, alright?”

      “Ok...” Sehun muttered. “Joonmyun, you heard, right?”

      “Yeah...” The boy said sadly.

 

      Sehun nodded and kissed his forehead. Victoria took Minki from him gently. After that, Joonmyun wrapped his arms around Sehun's neck. Sehun grabbed his back and scooped up his legs before carefully lifting him off the bed. Joonmyun groaned a bit and Sehun immediately halted all movement and stared at him in worry.

      “It's ok. I can't really feel much,” Joonmyun whispered. “It just feels kinda weird.”

      “Alright...Let me know if you start hurting, ok?”

      “Ok...”

 

      Sehun looked at Victoria and bit his lip. He honestly really didn't want to move Joonmyun or Minki around right now, but if the female city's police force was anything like theirs was, then they really didn't have much time before they would be swarmed and overwhelmed. He didn't think they would be as merciful with them as Sangmin had been either.

 

      Victoria let out a deep sigh and moved towards the door. She cracked it open and peeked outside. When she found the coast clear, she snuggled Minki closer to her and quickly walked out, holding the door open with her foot so Sehun could get out easily. After that, they were rushing down the hallways, back to the side entrance that they had used up until now.

 

      When they got outside, Henry and Amber were there, a baby in each of their arms and the backpacks Sehun had brought along from their city on their backs. They both looked like they had a lot they wanted to ask Sehun and Joonmyun, but it wasn't the right time, so they refrained.

 

      Victoria lead them around the hospital towards an alley in the back. When they were inside the alley, the doctor gasped and signaled for them to get close to the nearby wall and try and hide. A group of women in uniform charged past on the main road, heading towards the hospital. When they were gone, she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

 

      She looked back at the scared parents and sighed. They continued through the alley then a series of backstreets until they reached the wall encompassing the city. Victoria glanced around and eventually found what she was looking for. It was a side gate leading out of the city. There weren't any guards near it and Victoria could almost cry from happiness.

 

      They snuck over quietly and Victoria began trying to open the gate with one hand. In the end, Henry gave Amber the baby he was holding and opened the gate. They all rushed out, not looking back. They needed to gain some distance from the city. They didn't think the city would go after them if they were outside of the city walls, but they didn't really want to stick around to find out.

 

      They began the long, exhausting walk into the forest. They were going to need some shelter from the city, just in case the police force tried to pursue them. When they could no longer see the city through the trees, they decided it was a decent time to stop. The sun was starting to set, and while it was no longer winter and warmth wasn't as much of an issue, they would still need to set up a camp for the night.

 

      Sehun tiredly, but carefully set Joonmyun down on the forest ground. The older whimpered a bit and Sehun's eyes went wide. He held the other boy firmly, trying to keep him fairly still.

      “What's wrong?” The younger practically whispered.

      “It's starting to hurt...”

 

      Sehun nodded and glanced at the doctor, who was still holding their baby. Minki had started fussing and she looked like she was digging through her bag for something.

      “Victoria?” He called.

      “Hm?” She hummed, not looking up.

      “Joonmyun's in pain.” Finally, the doctor stopped and glanced at the two.

      “Lay him down gently. I'll give him medicine in a moment.”

      “Do you want me to take Minki?” Sehun asked.

      “Yeah, that would help. I think he's hungry, so I was trying to get some formula ready for him...”

      “I'll hold him while you do that. Then can you give Joonmyun some more medication?”

      “Of course,” Victoria replied.

 

      Sehun laid Joonmyun down gently. He then took Minki from Victoria and held the baby close. Minki was close to screaming now and if Sehun were to say he wasn't nervous, it would be a total lie. He didn't know how to make Minki feel better in the slightest. He tried to whisper soothing words, but it didn't seem to work. He kissed the boy's forehead, but that didn't help much either. Finally, he started poking him desperately, trying to distract the baby.

 

      Minki grabbed his finger when it was within range of his hand and to Sehun's surprise, put it in his mouth. Sehun gasped and pulled it out since he didn't exactly think his finger was clean enough for that, but Minki started crying even harder, making him instantly regret it.

 

      He crawled awkwardly over to his backpack and pulled out a bottle of water, thankful that it had been filled before the journey. He managed to dump some on his hand and tried to clean it to the best of his ability. Next, he placed it back on Minki's tummy, letting the baby feel it in his own chubby hands, before placing the finger in his mouth again and letting him suck on it.

 

      Sehun sighed in relief. It was a bit of a weird action in his opinion, but if Minki was happy, he was happy. He heard Victoria and Amber giggle and he glanced at them. Victoria was shaking a bottle while Amber had a few blankets draped over her, courtesy of Henry, and Sehun realized she was feeding her babies as well. Henry had gone off to gather wood for the campfire.

 

      Eventually, Victoria finished shaking the bottle and took off the cap before handing it to Sehun. He slowly removed his finger from Minki's mouth, then quickly grabbed the bottle, placing it where his finger had been. He heard Minki sigh as he began drinking away. Sehun couldn't help the awkward smile that grew on his face.

      “Congratulations,” Victoria said as she began sifting through her bag, taking out various medications. “You've learned a few techniques to calm a baby down. Now, when you're feeding him, you'll want to pat his back from time to time until he burps. He might spit up on you a bit so put a towel over your shoulder.”

      “This is hard...and kinda scary...” Sehun mumbled. Victoria nodded.

      “Raising a child isn't easy.”

      “Not like you would really know,” Amber mumbled.

      “I might not have direct experience, but I know more about children than all of you. Besides, I've talked to a few women from family units before, and life is not exactly peaceful and easy for them.”

      “Where did you manage to meet people from the family class?” Amber gasped.

      “I went out to a bar for a few drinks one night.”

      “You went out!?”

      “Amber...I don't live under a rock.”

      “Coulda fooled me...” Amber muttered.

      “Amber!” Victoria fussed. “I'm not THAT anti-social!”

      “Mhm...Sure~”

 

      Victoria sighed and decided to ignore the other girl. She went over to Joonmyun and gave him some fairly powerful pain killers. She grabbed the water bottle Sehun had used before and helped him sit up enough to take the medication. After, she laid him back down on the ground.

      “The pain should subside in a little bit. You're gonna be drowsy though.”

      “That's fine. Thank you, Victoria.”

      “I'm sorry we had to get out of there so quickly...”

      “It's fine. Thank you for helping us.”

      “How did you know where to go, Victoria?” Amber asked.

      “I'd scouted the alleys out before. I was initially planning to operate on Joonmyun in the night and then after a few days of hiding him in the abandoned factory so he could rest and recover, we'd escape...but things didn't go quite like that...”

      “Wow...I didn't realize you'd put so much thought into this...” Amber gasped.

      “Someone has to think of this stuff. You'd be doomed otherwise,” Victoria teased, sticking her tongue out.

 

      Sehun watched as the two girls continued to playfully fight with each other. When he glanced down at Minki, the baby was asleep, but still drinking. Sehun couldn't help but laugh. He was starting to like the idea of being a parent.

 

      Henry returned shortly after with some wood for the fire as well as some various fruits that he'd scavenged throughout the forest. It was a good thing he had because they hadn't really had time to prepare much food before leaving, though Amber and Henry had packed what they had left in the abandoned building.

 

      The rest of the night was spent rather quietly. Everyone was in their own little world. Henry and Amber were the first to lay down and go to sleep, their babies resting in between them on a few layers of towels and blankets. Victoria was the next to go to sleep. The day had really worn her out.

 

      It was then that Sehun, who'd been holding Minki and taking care of him most of the night, scooted over towards Joonmyun. The older boy looked completely exhausted and dazed. Still, when he noticed Sehun, he glanced up and smiled. Sehun returned the gesture then leaned down.

      “I have a gift for you,” he said quietly.

      “What's that?” Joonmyun asked.

 

      Sehun said nothing but very gently placed Minki on Joonmyun's chest. The older boy reached his arms up around the baby and looked between him and Sehun. The latter smiled a bit wider.

      “He's probably tired of me. You're nicer anyways,” Sehun stated. Joonmyun laughed a bit.

      “Thank you,” he whispered.

 

      Sehun let out a tired sigh and yawned. He laid down next to Joonmyun and wrapped his arms around him delicately. He kissed the boy's head then smiled down at Minki, who was sleeping peacefully. He could definitely get used to this feeling.

      “No...Thank you...” He whispered into the boy's hair. “For everything...”

 

      Joonmyun smiled from ear to ear and leaned his head against Sehun. Within seconds, both boys had closed their eyes and fallen asleep.

  
~*~

      A few more days went on. Each day, they would travel slightly deeper into the forest. They didn't really have a particular destination in mind, but they didn't want to sit still for very long. They were still on edge from escaping the female city. Not only that, but they had to scavenge for food, so they just naturally moved around.

 

      Joonmyun wasn't getting better all that quickly though. He was in pain most of the time. The medication helped of course, but the constant moving didn't exactly do him well. Sehun was beginning to worry about him, as was Victoria.

 

      She pulled out a pen and paper one day and began drawing what looked like a type of plant on it. Sehun gave her an especially confused look when she handed it to him. She merely sighed and glanced at Joonmyun, then back at him.

      “This is a type of herb that can be used as a form of pain relief. It might not do much, but it's something.”

      “So you want me to look for it?”

      “Yes...It was often shipped into the female city in bulk, so it has to be around here somewhere. I'll stay with Joonmyun and Minki.”

      “Alright...”

 

      With that, Sehun was off. He looked around on the ground for what seemed like an eternity. He'd been making sure to mark his path by drawing signs on the ground as well as making note of various scenery. Finally, he spotted a plant that looked like the one on the paper.

 

      He walked over to it and squatted down. He spent a few minutes comparing the picture and the plant. He could only hope that Victoria's drawing was accurate. As he was reaching out for the plant though, a voice spoke up.

      “I wouldn't do that if I were you~” A child's voice sang. Sehun turned around and was met with a boy who looked to be about 5 years old. “It's poisonous,” the child continued.

 

      Sehun knelt in front of the boy. He looked at him curiously, then grabbed both of the boy's hands, holding them in front of him. The boy's skin was a bit darker than his, and Sehun had to wonder if he'd been living in the wilderness for a while and gotten a tan or if it was natural. The boy had large, innocent eyes.

      “What are you doing out here all alone!?” Sehun asked, worried. What if the boy had been abandoned like Amber had been? He was far too young for that.

      “I'm not alone! I went hunting with papa!”

      “Papa?” Sehun asked in confusion. Where was said 'papa' then? Another voice answered his question, however.

      “I'd get away from him if I were you,” a deep voice growled.

 

      Sehun glanced towards the source of the voice and went wide-eyed as he found a relatively muscular man, who was probably around Sehun's age and had a similar complexion to the young boy. The man was glaring, spear in hand and aimed right at him. Sehun slowly let go of the boy's hands and raised his own hands in front of him. The boy then ran over to the other man, giggling.

      “Papa~”


	31. Chapter 31

      Sehun watched the small boy run over to his father and hug his leg. If the man wasn't threatening his life at the moment, Sehun might have found the two of them cute. This wasn't what he needed right now though. He had to get back to Joonmyun, preferably with something that could help the other feel better.

      “Um...” He started cautiously. “You have your son now...Can I go?”

      “Shut up!” The father snapped.

      “Papa, Daddy says you shouldn't use that sort of language.”

      “Papa and Daddy have also told you not to talk to strangers,” the father answered sternly.

      “But Daddy also said you shouldn't ignore someone who's in trouble! He was gonna pick the poisonous plant!”

      “You should have let him,” the father said darkly.

      “Papa!”

      “Um, I'm really sorry. I wasn't threatening your son...Please, just let me go,” Sehun pleaded carefully. “Thank you for helping me not get something poisonous...” He told the boy. “It would have been really bad for someone dear to me if you hadn't stopped me...”

      “Someone dear to you?” The father asked, suddenly far more interested in what he had to say.

      “Yes...He recently had surgery and he's in a lot of pain...he didn't have enough time to rest before we had to run away...”

      “Why were you running?”

      “It's such a long story...” Sehun groaned. “Please, just let me go. I want to get back to him. I won't bother either of you, I promise. That was never my intention.”

      “How important is this person to you?”

      “I...I love him...” Sehun practically whispered.

      “You know what love is?” The father asked. Sehun's eyes widened when he realized the man in front of him recognized what he was talking about.

      “I...I don't know exactly...I've never heard a textbook definition of it...but Joon- but this person was reading a book that had something to do with it...and he started to teach me...and I think we both love each other...”

 

      The father smirked a bit before laughing and lowering his weapon. He walked over to Sehun, who stared at him warily, and held out his hand. Sehun took it after a few seconds of internal debating and the other helped him to his feet.

      “My name is Jongin. This is my son, Bae.”

      “I'm Sehun...” He responded cautiously.

      “Where's this lover of yours?”

      “Lover?”

      “Yeah. It's what you call the person you're in love with.”

      “Oh...He's, uh...back at our camp...with our baby and a few other friends...”

      “There are others!?” Jongin asked, rather excitedly.

      “Y-Yes...Two women and another man...and three babies...” Sehun wasn't entirely sure why he was telling the stranger all this. He just felt that since Jongin knew about love, he might not be all that bad. Said man nodded.

      “Alright. We'll take you all in. You can't be left out here with no help...especially if you have babies...”

      “Take us in?”

      “To our village~” Bae sang. “That's where Daddy is right now! And all the others~”

      “So...there are others like you two?” Sehun asked. Jongin nodded. “Were they...exiled from the city?”

      “Yeah. I'm guessing that's how you guys came to be out here...”

      “Mhm. Though there was quite a lot that happened before we got to the forest.”

      “Certainly sounds that way. For now, let's get your friends and go back to the village. You'll be able to rest and recover there.”

      “Thank you,” Sehun said, bowing a bit.

 

      Jongin nodded and motioned for him to lead the way. Sehun was still nervous about whether he was doing the right thing, but if there was a chance that Joonmyun and Minki would be safe and looked after, he would take it. He began walking back to the camp, praying that everything would turn out alright.

 

~*~

      Joonmyun had Minki in his arms and was stroking his head gently. He could vaguely see Victoria seated beside him, but he was so dizzy and groggy from the pain and the medication that his vision was a bit blurry. The doctor would run her fingers through his hair from time to time, whispering words of comfort, and he appreciated that. At one point, she sighed.

      “What could be taking him so long...?”

      “You mean Sehun?” Joonmyun asked.

      “Mhm...”

      “Do you think he got lost?”

      “No...At least I hope not...He seems pretty intelligent...”

      “He is...Try not to worry too much.”

      “I'm amazed you of all people can say that...” She sighed. “How are you doing?”

      “I'm alright...It really doesn't hurt that bad...”

      “I'm still worried...I wish we could have stayed in the hospital longer...it would have been safer for Minki too...”

      “What do you mean?”

      “Well, he's pretty susceptible to germs and illnesses right now...Aaron and Reina are too.”

      “Oh...”

      “We'll just have to be really careful, alright?” She soothed, not wanting the boy to panic.

 

      She heard rustling in the distance and glanced towards that direction. It grew in volume and soon enough, Sehun was walking towards her. She looked at his empty hands then at his face questioningly.

      “Did you find the plant?”

      “Not exactly,” Sehun said quickly before going over to Joonmyun's side. “But I found something that might be even better.”

 

      Victoria looked at him curiously, then heard more rustling from where Sehun had come from. She gasped when another man and a small boy emerged from the forestation. She glanced between them and Sehun, her mouth slightly agape. Amber and Henry, who were sitting a little further away with Aaron and Reina, stared like deer in the headlights.

      “Who is this?” Victoria asked.

      “Jongin. He's going to take us to his village.”

      “Aaaand you trust him?” Amber asked skeptically.

      “We don't have much of an option,” Sehun sighed.

 

      Sehun leaned over Joonmyun and kissed his forehead. The older looked up at him and smiled tiredly. Sehun slid his hand underneath his back.

      “Hey, I'm gonna pick you up, ok? We're gonna go somewhere, but you'll be able to rest there...You'll be ok.”

      “Ok...Can I keep holding Minki?” Joonmyun asked, snuggling the baby closer to him. Sehun smiled and nodded.

      “Of course. Just hold on to him tightly so you don't drop him.”

 

      Joonmyun nodded and Sehun very carefully lifted his torso up. He slid his other arm under his legs, then lifted the boy the rest of the way off the ground. Joonmyun let his head rest in the crook of Sehun's neck. The younger glanced around at the other three before heading over to where Jongin was standing.

      “He offered to take us in. Joonmyun needs somewhere where he can recover safely...and Minki needs to be somewhere safe...I'm sure Aaron and Reina need that as well. I'm going with him...I don't know about you three.” The others exchanged glances and Victoria sighed.

      “Alright. I'm going too,” she stated. “I don't want to leave you guys alone. Amber, Henry? You coming?”

      “Do you have food and water...?” Henry asked.

      “Yes,” Jongin answered.

      “Do you have beds?” Amber asked, hope in her eyes.

      “Yes. We have everything you'd need.”

      “I am SO going!” She said excitedly, getting to her feet, baby in hand.

 

      Jongin couldn't help but smile at the group. They were certainly a lot worse off than he'd imagined, having so many small children and so little resources. He was thankful he'd found them when he had. He glanced down at Bae and noticed the little boy looking at the baby in Joonmyun's arms curiously. A wide smile graced his face and he knelt down next to his son.

      “You used to be just like that, Bae. Did you know?”

      “Will my baby sister look like that too?”

      “Bae...We don't know if it's a baby girl yet...”

      “I still want a baby sister...”

      “Well, we'll have to see, ok?”

      “Baby sister?” Sehun asked, his brow raised.

      “My lover is about 5 months pregnant now...He's back at the village.”

      “Just who all is at your village?” Victoria asked, her backpack now packed and over her shoulders. Amber and Henry were right behind her.

      “The outcasts from the two cities. Mostly the men, though. It's harder for the women to get away...Their leader isn't as...merciful...”

      “So you met Sangmin then?” Sehun asked.

      “Yes. We've all met him...Our leader was a close friend of his.”

      “Your leader?” Henry asked.

      “Yeah. He's a great person, honestly. I think you'll like him. He's not oppressive at all. He started this village as a refuge for the outcasts. We tend to bring them in whenever we find them.”

      “So then why did you threaten me?” Sehun asked irritably.

      “You had your hands on my son. Take it as me being over-protective. If I grabbed your baby, I'm sure you'd act the same way.”

      “I suppose...”

      “Let's go to the village for now. You can rest there...When you're all a bit better off, we'll continue this discussion.”

 

      The group nodded. They followed Jongin silently through the forest. Eventually, they spotted several smalls houses in the distance. As they neared, they realized they were small wooden cottages. There was a river running just east of the small settlement and a mountain some ways behind it. Some of the buildings there looked like they were made of stone instead of wood and had a more sophisticated design to them. There were also cottages to the west of the settlement that didn't quite look completed.

 

      Jongin lead them into the small village and towards some of the finished cottages. He opened the door to one then turned and smiled at the group.

      “We're constantly building these in case more people come. One of the families can stay here.”

      “Families?” Amber asked. Jongin nodded.

      “You, your lover, and your children count as a family...Just as an example.”

      “Lover?” Henry asked. Jongin raised an eyebrow and Sehun sighed.

      “They know less terminology than Joonmyun and I do. They're a thing though...” Jongin nodded.

      “Alright. Well, one 'thing' can live here,” he stated. Before anybody else could say anything, Bae gasped and ran off.

      “Daddy!” He called excitedly.

 

      He pounced onto a shorter looking man, who also looked about their age. The man had wide eyes, full lips, and a small round belly. Sehun looked at Jongin and noticed the boy's features had completely softened and he was looking at the man with nothing but affection. Bae and the newcomer walked over to them, hand in hand.

      “Jongin, why didn't you tell me you were bac- Oh...Who are they?”

      “A few more people who were exiled,” Jongin answered. “I was getting them situated into cabins. They're really tired and they have newborns with them.” The other man's eyes went even wider than they already were.

      “The city's getting pretty ruthless, throwing them out in this state...”

      “We actually got thrown out 3 months ago,” Amber said awkwardly.

      “How did you make it for 3 months!?” The newcomer asked.

      “Hid in the female city and then escaped?” She responded.  
      “You've got guts,” Jongin laughed. “Anyways, some of you can live in this cottage. Kyungsoo, can you take Sehun and his family to another cottage. They need the most rest.”

      “Of course.” The wide-eyed boy responded. He looked down at the boy at his side. “Bae, do you want to come with me?”

      “Yeah~” The latter responded. Kyungsoo looked over at Sehun and Joonmyun.

      “Follow me,” he said, smiling.

 

      Sehun did as told, watching as Jongin motioned for the others to go into the cabin. Kyungsoo lead them to another cabin nearby, then opened the door. Sehun went in, noting that it was rather dark. He heard Minki making noises and he wondered if it was because of the lack of light. Soon, a light came on. Sehun turned to see Kyungsoo by a light switch.

      “You have electricity?” Sehun asked skeptically.

      “Mhm. We've got a lot of things. That's the benefit of having people from the intellectual class here~” Kyungsoo answered. He walked towards a door. “This is the bedroom. And over there is a bathroom. The house is fairly small, but it should be enough for your family.”

      “Yes...Thank you...Um?”

      “Kyungsoo.”

      “Sehun. This is Joonmyun...and our baby is Minki.”

      “He's a cutie~ I'm sure you've met Jongin and Bae already.”

      “Yes.”

      “Well, go on in. You're probably tired from carrying him.”

 

      Sehun nodded and walked past Kyungsoo into the bedroom. Kyungsoo flipped the light switch on for him again and Sehun went over to the queen sized bed. He was impressed at how nice the place was. He had to wonder how they were able to make such nice houses and furniture. They must have some really good brains and workers in the village.

 

      He set Joonmyun down gently on the bed, wiping the bangs from his face and kissing his forehead. The older had fallen asleep still holding Minki, so Sehun carefully took the baby out of his arms. Minki was starting to fuss and Sehun figured he was probably hungry. He looked at Kyungsoo and cleared his throat awkwardly.

      “Do you, um...have any baby formula? Or milk...Or something?”

      “Of course. I'll bring some by soon. Will this place be alright with you?”

      “Yes! It's wonderful. Thank you for your hospitality.”

      “No problem. We're glad to help.”

 

      Kyungsoo left the house, Bae tailing behind him. He went to the storage house nearby and found some formula and a few bottles. He then went back to Sehun's house and gave it to the boy, showing him around the small kitchen in the cottage and telling him how to measure out the formula. When the baby had a bottle in his mouth and was happily drinking, Kyungsoo and Bae took their leave.

 

      When they were outside, Kyungsoo sighed and rubbed his back. He heard the deep, warm laugh he'd fallen in love with so long ago and he glanced in their direction. Jongin walked over to him and wrapped his strong arms around him.

      “Move around too much?” He asked softly, smiling and rubbing Kyungsoo's back.

      “I had to go get some formula for Sehun.”

      “Hmm~ Do you want to go rest?”

      “I do. Will you come too?”

      “I have to go tell Zhou Mi about them...then I'll come.”

      “Alright...I'll be waiting for you.”

 

      Jongin nodded and rested his forehead against Kyungsoo's, smiling childishly at the boy. Kyungsoo wrapped his arms around the other's neck and snuggled closer. They were inches away from kissing when they heard a gag. They glanced down at Bae, whose nose was scrunched up in disgust.

      “Do you HAVE to do that?”

      “Yes, we do,” Jongin stated simply.

      “If you don't like it, go play somewhere else,” Kyungsoo stated. Jongin stuck his tongue out and Bae did the same.

      “I'm gonna go play with Luhan.”

      “See ya~” Jongin sang. When Bae was gone, he glanced back at Kyungsoo. “Now...Where were we~”

 

      He closed the distance between their lips, nibbling at the other's, pressing his tongue gently against them. Kyungsoo happily let him in. Jongin spent the next few minutes exploring the familiar expanse of Kyungsoo's mouth. The latter's tongue met his playfully. Eventually, Kyungsoo broke away, ignoring Jongin's pout.

      “You should go to Zhou Mi now. I want to go home and rest.”

      “Fine...” The taller boy sighed. Kyungsoo smiled and placed one more kiss on his lips.

      “Welcome back, Jongin.” The other boy smiled widely.

      “I'm home.”

 

~*~

      Joonmyun woke up a little later in the day. He glanced around, not really recognizing the place where he was. Minki wasn't in his arms anymore and Sehun wasn't at his side either. He gasped and tried to push himself up. He whimpered as his wound ached and feebly laid down on the bed again. He heard a door open and soon another figure was sitting beside him on the bed.

      “Hey...Are you ok?” Sehun asked gently.

      “Where's Minki!?”

      “He's right here. I just finished feeding and burping him,” Sehun answered, placing the baby down on Joonmyun's chest. The older boy sighed in relief.

      “Thank goodness...I thought something had happened to you two...”

      “We're fine, Joonmyun. We're all fine.”

      “So...We're in that village?”

      “Mhm. Remember how Sangmin mentioned other people like us?”

      “Yeah...Do they live here!?”

      “Mhm. We're with other people just like us.”

      “So...We won't have to run away anymore?”

      “Nope. We'll be just fine.”

 

      Joonmyun let out another sigh and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Sehun's head was hovering above his. The older boy smiled and leaned up just enough to peck his nose.

      “Thank you, Sehun.”

 

      Sehun nodded and kissed his lips. After, he laid down on the bed beside Joonmyun, wrapping his arms around him. Sleeping on a bed certainly beat sleeping on the forest ground. Sehun felt his eyelids drooping and he decided he could afford the much-needed nap that he felt coming on.

 

      Joonmyun glanced at Sehun and giggled a bit. He brought one of his hands up and ran it through the younger's hair. He kissed the boy on the lips once more then stared up at the ceiling. He was already liking the feeling of this place. He couldn't wait to know more.


	32. Chapter 32

      A couple weeks went by in the small village. It was a strange feeling for the previously homeless group. It had been so long since they'd felt a state of permanence without the fear of being discovered or endangered. It was a feeling they could get used to though.

 

      Sehun spent most of his time in the cottage with Joonmyun. The older boy was finally recovering well and he was even back on his feet. They hadn't really gone out into the village. They were still a bit reserved and afraid. The only times they interacted were when Jongin and Kyungsoo visited them.

 

      Sehun was bustling through the kitchen, preparing a bottle for Minki one morning. Joonmyun was walking around the living room, snuggling Minki close to his chest and trying to calm the fussing baby. Sehun quickly rushed out of the kitchen and planted the bottle in Minki's mouth. The baby instantly quieted and began drinking.

 

      Joonmyun looked up at Sehun, smiling radiantly. Sehun had been taking care of Minki while he had been recovering, so the younger had gotten quite fast at doing things like making bottles and changing diapers. Now that the older felt well enough to move around though, it was his turn to start learning.

 

      While Joonmyun held the bottle and watched Minki, Sehun snaked his arms around the older boy and closed the distance between their bodies. He leaned over and placed his nose in the crook of Joonmyun's neck before letting out a content sigh.

      “I've missed this feeling...”

      “What feeling?” Joonmyun asked curiously.

      “Being able to wrap my arms around you tightly,” Sehun mumbled, his cheeks bright red as he realized how corny he sounded.

      “You couldn't do that before?” The other asked.

      “I could...but I couldn't really squeeze you as hard because you were pregnant...”

      “Hmm~ I see,” Joonmyun hummed.

 

      He placed a kiss on Sehun's head then leaned his cheek on it. He continued to watch as Minki drank. He was so entranced that he jumped when there was a knock on the door. Sehun groaned and reluctantly peeled himself off of Joonmyun to go check. The latter peeked over Sehun's shoulder to see who it was. Not so surprisingly, it was Jongin.

      “What's up?” Sehun asked. “You just gave us supplies, so...” The tan-skinned man laughed.

      “That's not why I'm here actually. Joonmyun's doing better now, right?”

      “Er...yeah...” Sehun muttered. Joonmyun nodded at Jongin in greeting since both of his hands were full.

      “Great! Our leader wanted to meet you guys and give you the grand tour.”

      “Your...leader...did?” Sehun asked. He wasn't used to the thought of having a leader, let alone having a leader that was present in their lives.

      “Yeah. He's a pretty good guy. Granted, he might put you to work somewhere in the factories, but it's not all that bad.”

      “Have Amber, Henry, and Victoria met him?” Sehun asked.

      “No. They've been just as secluded as you two. You guys need to open up. You CAN make friends and be part of the village here, you know,” Jongin joked.

      “That sounds great,” Joonmyun spoke up. “Let me finish feeding Minki and then we'll be right out.”

      “Great! I'm going to go talk to Amber, Henry, and the others,” Jongin stated, already taking a few steps from the house. “See you soon. Just wait outside and I'll come pick you up!” With that, he rushed off to a cottage a little further away.

      “He's awfully friendly and excited...” Sehun sighed.

      “It's a nice change from what we used to deal with though, don't you think?” Joonmyun whispered quietly.

      “Definitely.”

 

      Joonmyun finished feeding and burping Minki then passed him to Sehun long enough to put shoes on. Sehun did the same once Joonmyun had taken Minki back and the two walked outside. The older inhaled as much fresh air as he could. Between being cooped up in a house, resting in bed, and living in the cities, which were suffocating, he couldn't get enough of the fresh air in the forest and the village.

 

      He glanced around and noticed another villager, who also looked about their age, lugging a piece of wood over to a nearby, incomplete cottage. He threw it down with a groan then wiped the sweat from his face. He immediately turned around and bounded over to another boy who was sitting in a chair nearby, stomach round and looking like it would pop at any minute.

 

      The one standing talked extremely animatedly, and Joonmyun couldn't help but enjoy simply watching him. He was extremely surprised when the boy turned to face him and their eyes met. The villager had extremely soft facial features and hardly looked the part of a construction worker. His hair was a dark brown, almost black color. He smiled angelically and waved. Joonmyun stared for a moment before realizing he needed to wave back. As he was waving, a third voice spoke up.

      “Oh? Luhan! Good to see you! Working already?” Jongin asked the construction worker.

      “Yeah. We just got quite a few new people. I never know how fast I need to work to accommodate everyone,” the boy responded, laughing a bit. Jongin nodded and noticed the boy beside him in the chair.

      “Minseok! Good morning to you too! Keeping Luhan company?”

 

      The boy in the chair nodded and leaned closer to Luhan, clinging to him. The latter smiled at him gently and pressed the boy's head to his side with one of his hands. He then glanced back at the group.

      “So...Are these the newcomers?” Luhan asked.

      “Yeah. Would you like to introduce yourselves?” Jongin asked the group.

      “I'm Sehun...and this is Joonmyun...and our baby, Minki.” Luhan nodded excitedly, then glanced over at the others who'd come with Jongin.

      “I'm Henry...and this is Amber.”

      “Our babies are named Reina and Aaron,” Amber stated, snuggling the baby she was holding closer to her chest. Henry was holding the other.

      “And I'm Victoria. I was a doctor in the female city.”

      “Really!?” Luhan gasped. “We could always use more doctors around here!”

      “That's good to hear,” Victoria replied, giggling a bit.

      “My name is Luhan...and this is Minseok.”

 

      The second introduction was said almost reverently. Joonmyun wondered if Luhan had a relationship with Minseok similar to his and Sehun's. Luhan soon spoke up again.

      “Are you showing them the village?”

      “Yeah. And introducing them to Zhou Mi.”

      “Ah. Have fun playing tour guide then~ I'm gonna get back to work.”

      “Yeah, thanks,” Jongin answered. “Keep up the good work!”

 

      Jongin motioned for the group to follow him and they all waved goodbye to Luhan. They continued throughout the village, stopping in front of one of the larger stone buildings. Jongin opened the door and motioned for them to go in.

 

      When they were all inside, they saw several people working throughout an assembly line. They seemed happy and were very talkative though, something different from how the city was. Soon, a tall man walked over to them, a beaming smile on his face.

      “Jongin! You finally brought them!”

      “Sorry it took a while,” Jongin sighed. “They weren't in the best of conditions when they first arrived.”

      “No, no, that's fine.” The man turned to the group. “Pleased to meet you. I'm Zhou Mi.”

 

      The group said their introductions. Zhou Mi's smile never seemed to fade and Joonmyun was amazed. It was already a much more pleasant experience than when they'd met Sangmin. The radiant man soon spoke up again.

      “Welcome, everyone~ We're happy to have you here. I'm sure you have a lot of questions, so feel free to ask them. In the meantime, I'll be showing you around the various factories.”

      “You have factories...And electricity...How is your place so advanced? Where did you get the resources for all this?” Sehun asked in awe.

      “There's actually a mine nearby that we've been slowly exploring and utilizing. We get a lot of the necessary resources for building and crafting from there. Not only that, but the two cities receive their resources from a third party, a rather large production factory a day's travel away from both places. The cities bring in those resources by large shipping trucks. We've gotten things from there as well, though it's quite far away, so we only depended on that factory heavily in the beginning. Now we're beginning to produce most of what we need ourselves,” Zhou Mi explained.

      “That's amazing...” Joonmyun gasped.

      “You know an awful lot about how the city functions...” Sehun started. “How?” Zhou Mi let out a warm laugh.

      “Well, I used to live there...as part of the intellectual class. We're always given more knowledge than everyone else. I also happened to be friends with the man who became the new leader of the city.”

      “Sangmin!?” Amber practically shrieked, panicking shortly after because she caused Aaron to jump in her arms. “How could you be friends with Sangmin of all people!?” She wasn't sure she could trust anyone related to him.

      “He's really not that bad in the broad scheme of things,” Zhou Mi answered. “He listened to a lot of what I had to say in the past...And he let me live. I owe him quite a bit. You do too, really.”

      “What do you mean?” Henry asked.

      “Well, he heeded my request and reformed a lot of the ways the society runs. For instance, he spared my life when I was questioning society and threatening to start a rebellion. He told me he wouldn't stand for that in the city, but I was welcome to take my leave and try my own hand at creating a place for myself. In the end, he didn't want to sentence his best friend to death...or so he said.”

      “So then...You were the one who convinced him to exile people?” Joonmyun asked.

      “Mhm. I told him if there were other people like me, send them my way instead of killing them. You all realize that you would have been killed immediately if Sangmin weren't the one running the city, right?”

      “Well...He did say something along those lines,” Amber mumbled.

      “It's still that way in the female city, so it's surprising to actually see women alongside you,” Zhou Mi stated, motioning to Amber and Victoria.

      “Amber was living as a guy,” Henry explained. “And Victoria was extremely cautious and escaped with us.”

      “You really are quite the group, aren't you?” Zhou Mi laughed.

      “You don't even know,” Victoria groaned, rubbing her temples. “They were so stressful to take care of. They came to me half frozen and asked for ultrasounds...Amber and Joonmyun were pregnant at the time, as I'm sure you can see.”

      “I'm curious. If you say Amber was living as a guy,” Zhou Mi started. “Does that mean she interacted with a man rather than a woman?”

      “Er...Yeah?” Henry said awkwardly. “She and I are a...thing?” He stated, remembering how Sehun had described them when they first arrived in the village.

      “You really don't see that all too often!” Zhou Mi said excitedly. “Of course, there's nothing wrong with it. I honestly find it exciting~”

      “We're pretty carefree here, so those sorts of things don't matter,” Jongin added.

      “You two had a boy and a girl as well, right? From what I can see anyways.”

      “Yeah,” Amber answered. “Is there something significant about that? I thought it just kinda made sense since Henry was a boy and I was a girl...” Zhou Mi chuckled a bit.

      “Well, believe it or not, even Sehun and Joonmyun could have had a baby girl.”

      “What do you mean?” Sehun asked. He'd been curious about this ever since he'd heard Bae talking about how he wanted a baby sister.

      “Well, it's actually the sperm that contains the X or the Y chromosome. The egg only has an X chromosome. Two X chromosomes are needed for girls and one of each is needed for boys.”

      “So then...It's possible for men to have baby girls!?” Henry asked.

      “Quite possible. And you had one!” Zhou Mi stated.

      “But wait...then how is the male city not crawling with women then?” Sehun asked.

      “That is indeed a good question. This is where Sangmin is once again not nearly as bad as he seems.”

      “What does he have to do with this?” Amber asked bitterly. She still hated the man, no matter what Zhou Mi said about him.

      “When he first assumed the role, right around when I was starting to stray from society's way of thinking, he told me what his job entailed...He was to kill those who were different...in essence the people who didn't quite fit in, as well as any females that made their way into the city, be it through birth or other circumstances.”

      “But he didn't?” Joonmyun asked.

      “No...He couldn't stomach the thought. As much as he likes to play god, he's a righteous man and has his own set of morals he unconsciously upholds. So he made a deal with the leader of the female city. Any time a female baby was born, it would be transferred to that city rather than killed. It helped the female population, so they couldn't really say no.”

      “Did the females ever have boy babies then?”

      “No, actually. You see, they reproduce by creating sperm out of bone marrow. Since the marrow is from a female body, it lacks the Y chromosomes, so the baby is always female.”

      “So that's why Sangmin was always talking about how the male population was barely scraping by...they really were always losing people from various causes...” Amber mumbled.

      “That's right,” Zhou Mi said gently.

      “But with so few people actually staying in the city...wouldn't parents and children and siblings eventually run into each other and reproduce together?” Sehun asked shyly. Zhou Mi chuckled.

      “Yes, there's the possibility. But the city is separated into sectors, and classes can't breed outside of their own class...So between the different sectors and classes, siblings and parents tend to be split from each other and the possibility of interacting is much lower.”

      “I see...”

      “Everything is so complicated...” Joonmyun mumbled. “Is it like that here?”

      “Not at all. There aren't really classes. Everyone works, typically in a field they're good at or in the factories here. And as you can probably imagine, most of the people here tend to stay with just one person. There are some basic morals that we abide by, like killing someone isn't accepted, but there's nothing terribly hard to ask of you, I don't think. We just work together and try to remain happy.”

      “It sounds nice...” Victoria sighed.

      “Yes, I think so too,” Zhou Mi responded, smiling just a bit brighter for her.

      “Will you show us around the village?” Joonmyun asked timidly. The leader smiled and nodded enthusiastically.

 

      Zhou Mi lead them around to various factories, showing all the different goods they produced. It was fascinating to see them developing so much in such small-looking factories. The people were always friendly and waved to them too. Joonmyun was becoming more and more excited about the village with each new discovery.

 

      Eventually, Zhou Mi lead them into a factory that was producing papers and books, something that wasn't ever seen in the cities, except in the higher classes. Knowledge and books were restricted for anyone below the intellectual class and certain working classes like doctors. Lower classes could read, but they usually were only given limited knowledge through standardized databases.

      “This is our printing press,” Zhou Mi explained. “It's my pride and joy.”

      “I've never seen so many books...” Sehun gasped.

 

      Henry, Amber, and even Victoria were all in shock. Joonmyun, on the other hand, spotted something and passed Minki to Sehun before rushing towards it. His fingers gripped onto a book, his hands shaking. He quickly hugged it to his chest, his lips shaking and eyes slightly watering. It was the book Sehun had burned so long ago.

      “Oh? Do you know of that book?” Zhou Mi asked, slightly surprised.

      “Yes...It was sent to the city...They told us a group of lunatics did it...and ordered it to be burned...”

      “But you read it?” Jongin asked. Joonmyun nodded slowly.

      “But in the end, it was burned before I could finish it...” Sehun bit his lip and looked down at the ground.

      “Zhou Mi was the one who sent them,” Jongin laughed, not noticing Sehun's internal struggling. “He wrote it himself too~ It's pretty cute, I guess.”

      “You wrote it!?” Joonmyun gasped.

      “Yes...” The leader said bashfully. “I'd always been interested in relationships of the past and I sort of...wrote it on a whim...”

      “He was pretty passionate about it! You should have seen him!” Jongin laughed. “Secretly, he wants that sort of relationship. He was just writing his fantasies~”

      “JONGIN!!!” Zhou Mi gasped, his face rapidly turning bright red.

      “I think it's a good fantasy though, Zhou Mi,” Joonmyun said gently. “It helped Sehun and I to end up together...”

      “Is that where all your ideas came from then, Joonmyun?” Amber asked.

      “Yeah. You should read it too, Amber. I think you and Henry might come to a few realizations,” he stated, handing her one of the books. She nodded and flipped through the pages curiously.

 

      Joonmyun walked back over to Sehun and wrapped his arm around the younger's waist, giving him a comforting squeeze that Sehun really needed at that moment. He'd regretted hurting Joonmyun's feelings like that in the past. He found a sense of peace in the fact that the boy was reconnected with the book.

 

      Zhou Mi continued to show them the village. Towards the afternoon, the babies started fussing, so they cut the tour short. Amber and Henry went back to their house to take care of Aaron and Reina. Joonmyun and Sehun soon went back to the house to feed Minki and let Joonmyun rest a bit more. Jongin went back to find Kyungsoo and Bae. Only Victoria and Zhou Mi were left. She smiled at him awkwardly. He smiled just as pathetically. After a moment, Zhou Mi cleared his throat and broke the ice.

      “Would you...like to continue walking around and perhaps...chat for a bit?” He asked, extremely politely.

      “Oh...Um...Sure...” Victoria responded.

 

      She still wasn't used to talking to men, but Zhou Mi seemed to be gentle and sensible. He was certainly nice to look at as well. She joined his side and the two started walking side by side, talking about both simple and complicated things, such as the weather or their emotions and views on the way the cities functioned. Zhou Mi had a beautiful voice too, Victoria noted. She loved just listening to him talk. Perhaps she could become friends with him. It was always a bit harder for her to make friends because she truly was extremely reserved and introverted. Maybe it would be different this time though. She would certainly try to put the effort forth.


	33. Chapter 33

      Later in the evening, Sehun and Joonmyun received a knock on their door. Sehun opened it and was greeted by Jongin and Bae. The young boy hopped up and down excitedly while Sehun stared between him and Jongin curiously.

      “Do you wanna come out to the campfire with us???” Bae asked excitedly.

      “Campfire?” Joonmyun questioned over Sehun's shoulder.

      “Yeah,” Jongin answered, trying in vain to calm his son down. “Think of it as a little welcoming, 'get-to-know-you' party. Though, most of the village won't really be there...just your neighbors...Like Kyungsoo, Bae, and me...then Zhou Mi...and Luhan and Minseok. Henry, Amber, and Victoria as well, of course.”

      “It sounds like fun. You up for that, Joonmyun?” Sehun asked.

      “Yeah. Is it alright if we bring Minki?”

      “Of course. We wouldn't ask you to leave him alone!” Jongin practically gasped.

      “Great!”

      “Get your shoes on and I'll lead you to the campfire. Luhan went to get Henry and Amber.”

      “What about Victoria?”

      “She's already there...with Zhou Mi~”

 

      Sehun and Joonmyun exchanged surprised glances with each other, then slipped into their shoes. After, they followed Jongin and Bae to the campfire, which was already burning bright. When they got there, Henry and Amber were seated on a log next to Kyungsoo. On another log, Zhou Mi was seated beside Victoria, who was next to Luhan and Minseok. The carpenter had his arm wrapped around the other boy. Jongin took a spot next to Kyungsoo and Bae hopped onto his lap. Sehun and Joonmyun sat on a log closest to Henry and Amber.

      “There's marshmallows if anyone wants to roast some,” Zhou Mi said, breaking the comfortable silence.

 

      He passed the marshmallows around and soon they were poked with sticks and held over the flames. Kyungsoo would constantly fuss at Bae not to hop around or get too close to the fire. Jongin would then smile and nonchalantly snuggle Bae close to him whenever the boy got too hyper. Their family dynamics were something Joonmyun had never seen before, and he was honestly impressed. He hoped he and Sehun could raise Minki in that sort of way.

 

      The group really only exchanged small talk and jokes here and there. It wasn't until some time had gone by and Bae had long since fallen asleep, curled up in Jongin's arms, that the conversation took a more serious turn. Kyungsoo was snuggled against Jongin, resting his head on the other boy's shoulder. Joonmyun sighed and leaned against Sehun, feeling a strong arm wrap around him immediately.

      “How long have you and Kyungsoo been together, Jongin?” Joonmyun asked.

      “Honestly? As long as I can remember,” Jongin stated, laughing a bit.

      “What? Do you not have memories beyond a certain point or something?” Amber asked incredulously.

      “No, no~ It's nothing like that,” Jongin chuckled. “We've just always been together.”

      “How is that possible?” Sehun asked.

      “We were in the same family unit growing up,” Kyungsoo explained. “We were in sector 7 of the city...it was a rather small one.”

      “Yeah. I hadn't ever been to sector 7, but it looked small on the maps of the city that were placed here and there,” Henry commented. “We're all from sector 1...”

      “So, they put you in the same family unit?” Joonmyun asked.

      “Yep, so we grew up together.”

      “That happened with Victoria and I,” Amber stated.

      “Yeah...And look at all the hell you put me through,” Victoria retorted, receiving a few muffled chuckles from the others, including Zhou Mi.

      “Oh come on! It wasn't THAT bad!” Before Amber could continue her word tossing with Victoria, Joonmyun spoke up again.

      “So were you always in love with each other?”

      “Oh goodness, no!” Kyungsoo laughed, ignoring the pout on Jongin's face. “We didn't fall in love until about 6 years ago.”

      “Really? That long now?” Zhou Mi asked.

      “Yeah,” Jongin said proudly. “We fell in love...then a couple months later, Bae was conceived...then we left the city and you found us...” He motioned to Zhou Mi before continuing. “Then Kyungsoo had Bae...And we've lived here for 5 years.”

      “How did you know you were in love with each other?” Joonmyun asked.

      “I was honestly the first to fall,” Jongin sighed. “I fell back when we were still in a family unit together...But Kyungsoo...didn't really like the idea all too much...”

      “He just felt needy and clingy to me...and it frustrated me...” Kyungsoo explained. “I would always tell him we wouldn't be together forever. I was set to leave the family unit before him...and we did actually have a year apart from each other because I left first.”

      “So then...how did you meet up again?”

      “Somehow, Jongin got put in the birthing class as well...Initially, he wasn't put in the same sector as me after he left the family unit, but he traveled around to different sectors and eventually we met up...”

      “I was looking for him,” Jongin said shyly. “And I finally found him in sector 5...He was pregnant by then...”

      “With Bae?” Henry asked.

      “No...Not with Bae yet...” Kyungsoo whispered. “I'd gotten pregnant with another child...but...Shortly after I met up with Jongin again...I had a miscarriage...” There was a pause and the group looked at him sympathetically. “I was pretty broken at that point. I wasn't attached to the baby really, but losing it still hurt me all the same. That was when Jongin helped me and put me back together...I fell in love with him even though I didn't want to. A few months later, when it was safe for me to be pregnant again, Bae happened. Jongin never left me after that though, and eventually Sangmin found us and kicked us out. I was scared, since I'd had a miscarriage in the past and needed to be extra careful. Thankfully, Zhou Mi found us pretty early on and took us in.”

      “And we've lived here ever since. Bae was born safely and now Kyungsoo is pregnant with another child.”

      “That's amazing...” Joonmyun said with wide eyes.

      “Not really,” Jongin laughed. “I think your stories will be far more amazing than ours. Why don't you tell us about yourselves?”

      “Well...I read the book...” Joonmyun started shyly. “And I wanted to try being in love...and I'd been attracted to Sehun at the time...and eventually it did grow into love on my part...I got pregnant before it was my allotted time...and Sehun and I fought a lot in the beginning...but after a while, we started living together in peace...and he helped me a lot when I was struggling. But the committee found us...and eventually, we were taken to Sangmin and thrown out alongside Amber and Henry. After that, we snuck into the female city and stayed there until our babies were born, then ran away again. Now we're here.”

      “You really are adventurous!” Luhan gasped. “It takes guts to sneak into the other city!”

      “Amber's got the most guts then,” Sehun joked. “She lived in the male city for years before she was discovered.”

      “Well, I've always been a tomboy,” she sighed. “Henry and my story is pretty simple. We got to be pretty comfy with each other, then I kinda got pregnant...and well, Henry let me stay at his place...that was where my downfall in the male city happened. We got caught and kicked out.”

      “I see,” Jongin said, nodding.

      “What about you, Luhan?” Joonmyun asked. “You and Minseok are expecting a baby...how did you end up here?” Luhan tensed a bit, then snuggled Minseok closer to him. The other boy had fallen asleep by this point, and Luhan was grateful.

      “The baby's not mine,” Luhan said quietly. “I'm not the father...” He took a deep breath and double checked that Minseok was asleep before continuing. “Minseok was raped...” He practically whispered.

 

      Jongin and Kyungsoo had sad looks on their faces, knowing this fact already. Henry's and Amber's glances shifted nervously to Sehun for a moment before going back to Luhan. Jongin didn't fail to notice this, nor the way Sehun paled slightly and Joonmyun seemed to snuggle closer to him. He didn't think he wanted to know the reason why, but his mind had already connected enough dots for him to realize the truth. Luhan soon continued talking.

      “I was just a simple guy from the working class, doing household maintenance like wiping windows, fixing appliances, things like that...I was assigned to the sector Minseok was in. He was part of the intellectual class. We'd talked here and there and even though most of what he said didn't make sense to me, we got along pretty well and I considered us friends...One day though, he wouldn't let me in...That went on for a month...”

      “So what did you do?”

      “I...I picked the lock and went inside. I was really worried about him...When I found him, he was curled up in bed...He screamed when he saw me and it took forever to get him to calm down. I had to promise to stay away...I wasn't sure what had happened...but I didn't want to leave him alone...So I took care of him from then on. He hadn't been eating much, so it was a battle to get him to start again. He broke down crying a lot and it looked like he had bruises...”

 

      The group was silent as they listened. Sehun was biting his lip, knowing exactly how Minseok had felt. It was a horrifying experience and it had taken forever for Sehun to let someone into his life again. He knew the pain that Minseok had gone through far too well.

      “As time went on,” Luhan continued, “his bruises healed and he would let me touch him very briefly. He started getting nauseous a lot though. At the time, I still didn't know exactly what had happened to him, so I was worried. Whenever I mentioned going to the doctor though, he would always decline. One day he went out and bought a pregnancy test without my knowledge, and...you know the results...” He sighed.

      “So...what happened next?” Joonmyun asked.

      “He showed me...and I finally connected all the dots. I had asked why he didn't take any birth control medication after the incident, but he had been way too traumatized to even get out of bed and eat, so I couldn't have expected him to think rationally. So, I decided I would try and take care of him...but the morning sickness scared me. I hated seeing him feeling so bad, but every time I tried to hold him or support him he would twist out of my grasp. Eventually, I begged him to go to the doctor. He was afraid since he wasn't from the birthing class. He didn't want to get in trouble, so it was understandable...but finally, he went.”

      “And did the doctor agree to help?” Amber asked.

      “Yeah. He was really good to Minseok.”

      “Did he ask him to stay in the hospital?” Sehun asked quietly, biting his lip a bit.

      “He might have? I'm not sure...Why?”

      “Because I didn't have a choice when I was raped,” Sehun muttered.

 

      Luhan's eyes widened and Kyungsoo's hand covered his mouth. Jongin had a sympathetic look, having already figured out Sehun had suffered a similar fate. Noting the heavy atmosphere, Sehun quickly began talking again.

      “I was 16 though, so it makes more sense. They had wanted to keep Joonmyun in the hospital too since his body was really weak. It's usually out of concern that they keep you there...but staying there was... _is_ miserable. I'm glad they didn't try to do it to Minseok.”

      “What's so bad about the hospital?” Luhan asked.

      “Well...” Joonmyun sighed. “Even though you have people taking care of you, it's like you're all alone and the walls are closing in on you...It's not a very friendly environment...It wouldn't have done Minseok any good, especially in his emotional state.”

      “Yeah...Definitely,” Luhan agreed, holding the sleeping boy beside him even closer. “After he went to the doctor, he tried to get me to leave...saying I wasn't supposed to be with him...but I refused. Eventually he gave up and just let me stay with him. He let me touch him more and he even let me hold him from time to time...But what we didn't know was that the city's security had been updated because of his attack...There were cameras everywhere and they caught us on tape...the very things that were put up to protect him lead to him being cast out of the city...”

      “We know how that feels,” Amber groaned. “That security update was how we all ended up out here.”

      “I think it was for the best though,” Luhan said, smiling down at Minseok. “He's a lot healthier here and much happier. I think he'll recover sooner here than in the city. That place just...feels malicious...”

      “Yeah...I'm glad we're here now too. Thanks for taking us in, Zhou Mi,” Henry muttered, smiling bashfully. The man just nodded and smiled.

      “Of course. That's why this place exists. It's built for the outcasts.”

 

      The group continued to talk for a while longer. As yawns became more frequent, Zhou Mi and Jongin let the fire begin to die. At the end of the night, each couple went back to their respective homes for much needed rest. Joonmyun noticed Victoria linger behind a bit with Zhou Mi and he couldn't help but smile. He saw Zhou Mi give her hand a gentle squeeze before they parted ways and Joonmyun was extremely happy for her. She deserved to have her own special someone. He hoped Zhou Mi could become that person.

 

~*~

      Time in the village passed by at a strange pace. It seemed to fly, but at the same time, it was so peaceful that sometimes time didn't even seem to exist. Everyone seemed to be welcoming the newcomers and they were starting to fit into the society. They were finding a balance for themselves.

 

      Sehun had begun helping out at a factory for some parts of the day. Henry worked alongside him. Zhou Mi wanted them to still be home to take care of their children though, so he eased them into the work hours and made sure they had time each day to spend with their families.

 

      Luhan continued to build cottages nearby their houses. He was sure to be quiet in order to not disturb the newborn babies that definitely needed sleep. Minseok would always sit in a chair not far away from him and watch him work. The boy was really only fully comfortable around Luhan. Everyone else still scared him deep down inside.

 

      It came as a shock to Luhan when he heard Minsoek whimper one day from his seat. He looked over at him and asked if he was alright, and Minseok waved it off. Every time Luhan glanced at him though, he seemed to be in pain. Finally, Minseok whimpered again and called for Luhan. The latter rushed over to him and knelt down in front of him.

      “What's wrong?” He asked gently.

      “My stomach...” Minseok gasped. “Luhan...What if it's time!? I'm not ready!”

      “Shh. It's ok. Calm down and take deep breaths, ok? I'll go tell Zhou Mi and the doctor.”

      “No! Don't leave!”

      “Minseok...”

      “Please don't leave!” The boy pleaded.

      “Something wrong?” A voice asked.

 

      Luhan turned to the source of the voice and noticed Joonmyun looking at them with worried eyes, his baby snuggled to his chest. Luhan gulped before speaking up again, his throat feeling uncomfortably dry.

      “His stomach is hurting...I think it might be contractions...Do you know who the village doctor is?”

      “Not really,” Joonmyun answered. Luhan's heart sunk. “But Victoria is a doctor...she performed my C-section...I can get her.”

      “Would you please?”

 

      Joonmyun rushed off towards one of the nearby cottages. Soon, Victoria was running towards the two boys, Joonmyun trailing behind, not fully running because he didn't want to jerk Minki around. Victoria knelt beside Luhan and very cautiously placed a hand on Mineok's knee, trying to comfort him without overstepping her boundaries and scaring him. She asked him a series of questions, which he answered through winces and gasps. At the end, she nodded and got to her feet.

 

      “Where's the medical unit in the village again?” She asked.

      “It's that way,” Luhan stated. “What's going on? Is he...?”

      “He's having contractions,” Victoria answered. “Do you think you can carry him there? I'll talk to the doctor and see if I can do anything to help during the operation.”

      “Yeah...Thank you...”

 

      Luhan hoisted Minseok up into his arms, trying to sooth the fearful cries of the boy, and lead the way to the small hospital in the village. They went inside and after explaining the situation to one of the nurses, the village doctor soon rushed into the room, having heard the news. Luhan was lead to one of the rooms in the hospital and instructed to put Minseok down on an operation table. The nurses then began to prepare Minseok for surgery. Victoria talked to the doctor about helping out during the operation and he hastily agreed since the facility was still small and helping hands were always needed.

 

      Soon enough, Minseok was ready to be operated on and Luhan was by his side, holding his hand. The doctors and nurses moved carefully, knowing the boy was easily startled and extremely afraid. Luhan made sure the boy remained calm during the process as well.

 

      The operation went by much faster than either of the boys expected. Luhan's jaw dropped as he saw the doctor pull a small, crying body from Minseok's stomach and hand it to Victoria. Minseok looked like he'd entered some sort of daze, not sure how to feel about the ordeal. It happened so fast. The doctor spent more time patching Minseok back up than he had getting the baby out.

 

      Finally, things began to calm down in the bustling room. The nurses cleared out and soon only the doctor and Victoria, who was holding the bundled up baby, were left in the room. The two walked slowly towards Minseok, who was still staring at the ceiling in a daze. When Luhan gave him a soft nudge, he glanced between the other boy and the two doctors. He gasped and covered his eyes with his hands, shaking his head.

      “No...I don't want to see the baby...I'm not ready,” he whimpered.

 

      Luhan smiled sadly and ran his fingers through the older boy's hair. He kissed his forehead gently then whispered against his skin.

      “It'll be perfectly fine. You've gone through so much just to see the baby, you know. You can't back out now. This is the reward for all the struggling you did.”

 

      Minseok bit his lip and nodded nervously. Victoria took that as the sign that he was ready to see the baby and walked over to his side. She placed the small bundle in his arms slowly, then stepped back. Minseok looked down at the small child with wide eyes. Luhan couldn't read the emotion in Minseok's eyes at first. He began to worry as tears formed in the older boy's eyes.

 

      Minseok sniffled a bit and composed himself. He would never say it out loud, but he'd always thought his baby would look disgusting. The men who'd raped him had definitely been disgusting, so Minseok had always expected the same of his baby. The small being in his arms was anything but atrocious though. This child, his child, was absolutely breathtaking.

      “It's a girl,” Victoria said quietly. “Do you have a name for her?” Minseok thought to himself for a minute before glancing at Luhan.

      “I was thinking of naming her Hana...”

      “That's a pretty name~” Luhan soothed.

      “I think we should leave you two alone with Hana then,” Victoria giggled, pulling the doctor along out of the room.

 

      Minseok poked Hana's cheeks softly, giggling a little bit as his finger met with the soft, plump skin. Luhan smiled widely as he watched the two bond. He'd actually been really worried about how Minseok would react to the whole situation. Thankfully, it seemed the other boy was enthralled with his new daughter rather than appalled by her. He sighed in relief and was about to get up when Minseok turned to him.

      “You should hold her too,” he stated, leaning a bit so that Luhan would be able to grab Hana. The latter simply stared dumbfoundedly at him.

      “I...I don't think...I'm not...I'm not really part of this, Minseok...She's your baby.”

      “Don't be stupid,” Minseok fussed. “She's your baby too, Luhan. You were with me throughout everything...She's just as much your child as she is mine. Do you...not want to be her father?”

 

      Luhan was still for a moment, then nodded, reaching for the little girl. He brought her face close to his, holding her carefully, and laughed softly. He hadn't really planned to be a father, but he'd planned to remain by Minseok. He was more than happy to become part of their family. He would raise Hana as his own. After all, the babies in the cities were raised by people unrelated by blood. The ways of the city were of course very different from those of the village, but Luhan believed it still proved the point that you didn't need to be related to a child to raise it.

 

      He handed Hana back to Minseok and snuggled closer to the boy. They exchanged a few kisses, giggling in between and marveling at their new baby girl.


	34. Chapter 34

      Three months went by in the blink of an eye. The village was so welcoming, Sehun and Joonmyun felt like they'd always been a part of it. They'd adjusted to their new lifestyle completely. Sehun would work in a factory during the day while Joonmyun would stay home and raise Minki. When Sehun wanted to stay home and take care of Minki, Joonmyun would go instead. Zhou Mi wasn't picky about who did the work or how, as long as the work was accomplished within the needed time frame.

 

      Joonmyun was just returning to their house after a day of work at the factory. As he opened the door, he heard a shriek come from within the house, followed by a vast amount of giggling. Joonmyun couldn't help but chuckle himself. Minki had become quite a vocal baby. He was always making some sort of sound. When Sehun played with him, those sounds tended to escalate in volume and were separated by large amounts of giggling.

 

      He walked into the cottage and shut the door behind him. He went to the kitchen first to get some water, since he felt fairly tired and thirsty after the long day. Then, he followed the voices into the living room, smiling widely as he witnessed the scene.

 

      Minki was laying on his back, kicking and playing with a few toys hanging above him. Sehun was flopped on his stomach right beside him, occasionally leaning closer to kiss Minki or blow air on him and tickle him, causing the little baby to shriek and laugh. Joonmyun laughed and Sehun glanced up at him, startled.

      “I didn't hear you come back...” He said quietly.

      “You probably can't hear much over Minki,” Joonmyun laughed, walking over to the two.

      “That's true,” Sehun agreed, leaning forward to nibble playfully at Minki's small fist, earning another scream.

 

      Joonmyun flopped down on the floor, beside Sehun and in front of Minki, and grabbed the hand that wasn't being eaten by the other father. He wiggled it a bit and leaned down to kiss Minki's forehead.

      “I'm home, my little one~” He cooed.

      “Welcome home,” Sehun whispered, wrapping one of his arms around Joonmyun's back.

 

      The latter smiled and leaned over to kiss Sehun on the lips. They continued to play with Minki for another hour or so until the baby started fussing. Sehun got up from the floor to make some formula for Minki while Joonmyun tried to calm the child. They usually rotated between these jobs so neither was constantly getting screamed at. Sehun returned shortly with a bottle and Joonmyun began feeding Minki.

 

      When he'd finished feeding and burping Minki, the baby was more or less asleep in his arms. Joonmyun continued to rock him as he walked towards the small crib they'd set up in the living room. There was one in their bedroom as well, but typically Minki took his naps in the living room since that was closer to where Sehun and Joonmyun were during the day and they could hear if he cried.

 

      After Minki was peacefully sleeping in his crib, Sehun eagerly tugged Joonmyun into the kitchen. The older followed willingly, smiling and laughing at Sehun's sudden excitement. When they had rounded the corner, Sehun quickly turned around and grabbed Joonmyun by the waist, hoisting him up onto the nearest counter. He slid in between the older's legs and wrapped his arms around his back. He began kissing Joonmyun, gently and timidly, despite how anxious he seemed to be to do much more. When he broke away, Joonmyun was the first to speak up.

      “You're awfully excited, aren't you?” He laughed airily, his face slightly flushed.

      “I was waiting for you to get home. Guess all my emotions bubbled over...” Sehun mumbled, looking down. Joonmyun cupped his face and made the younger look at him again.

      “That's a good thing~ I like it when you're this excited for me to get home.”

 

      He pressed his lips against Sehun's and nibbled at them lightly. Sehun reciprocated his actions. Eventually, Joonmyun felt something press against his bottom lip. He wasn't entirely sure what Sehun was up to, but he tried to follow along, awkwardly opening his mouth. Sehun slid his tongue inside and began exploring the terrain of Joonmyun's mouth. The latter tried to mimic him, letting his tongue meet with Sehun's from time to time and whisk around it playfully. Sehun moaned into his mouth and Joonmyun found himself almost dizzy from the sensation, letting out a soft moan of his own.

 

      Finally, Sehun broke away, needing to catch his breath. Joonmyun stared at him, his face flushed and his breathing slightly uneven. After a moment of silence, the older spoke up.

      “W-What was that...?”

      “Jongin told me about it the other day...he called it tongue kissing...I'd wanted to try it with you...”

      “I see...It was...nice...”

      “It was...”

 

      They let the strange air around them settle a bit before breaking down into a quiet fit of laughter. Sehun pulled Joonmyun closer to his body and the other wrapped his arms tightly around the boy's shoulders. They snuggled together in silence before the younger spoke up again.

      “Joonmyun...I was wondering something...”

      “What?”

      “It's been a while since we...well...slept with each other...that way, I mean...Do you think...we could be intimate like that again. I mean really intimate this time, not just trying to get a kid out of it...” Joonmyun let out a short laugh.

      “Well, we already have the kid, so no reason to do it for that...so yeah. Let's just be intimate with each other. I like that idea~ Minki's asleep too, so that gives us a little bit of time. Just be gentle, ok?”

      “No worries there,” Sehun whispered against Joonmyun's lips.

 

      Joonmyun wrapped his legs around Sehun's body as the younger firmly grasped at his thighs, picking him up off the counter. He walked towards the bedroom, making sure to be quiet when passing Minki's crib. He plopped Joonmyun on the bed and slid down beside him.

 

      They began kissing each other once again, slowly stripping away pieces of clothing as needed. Sehun pushed Joonmyun down on the bed, attacking his collarbones and stomach with soft kisses here and there. He made sure to leave extra kisses on the fresh scar on Joonmyun's stomach. The older melted under his touch, dragging his fingers down Sehun's own back, occasionally scratching at him, but not enough to break the skin.

 

      Sehun began to rub his groin against Joonmyun's, moaning into the crook of the boy's neck. It had been so long since either of them had been sexually active. Their bodies seemed to be far more sensitive than before and both were craving each other. Joonmyun quickly slid Sehun's pants off and his boxers soon followed, revealing Sehun's growing erection. Sehun removed Joonmyun's pants with slightly less haste. The older was adjusting his body and getting ready to be stretched when Sehun pulled him back up into a sitting position. Joonmyun stared at him in confusion.

      “I'll bottom this time,” Sehun said gently, running his fingers through Joonmyun's hair.

      “Are you sure? You don't have to...I mean, the last time you-”

      “Joonmyun, it's ok. I want to. I know you won't hurt me.”

      “What about your cycle? What if I get you pregnant?”

      “What about your cycle then?” Sehun asked back. “Listen, I've been monitoring my cycle, so it's fine. Not only that, but Zhou Mi taught me about these things they make called condoms. They go over your penis during intercourse and they help prevent pregnancy.”

      “I see...That's...an interesting device...”

      “Mhm. And even if I did get pregnant, I'd rather it be me than you again,” Sehun whispered, looking down to hide the blush on his face.

      “Why is that?”

      “Because I don't want you to go through all that again...I was way younger than you and I still had a safer, healthier pregnancy! I don't want you to struggle like that again...”

 

      Joonmyun smiled and leaned forward, nuzzling Sehun's nose with his own, placing a kiss on it before backing away again.

      “Thank you,” he whispered. “I'll be careful...but let me know if it becomes too much for you, ok?”

      “Alright.”

 

      With that, Sehun laid down on his back and spread his legs, allowing access. Joonmyun grabbed some lubrication from the nightstand drawer. Sehun had brought it home one day, saying it was a good idea to keep it around just in case. He put a generous amount on his fingers, but not enough for it to be uncomfortable for Sehun, and set away to slowly stretching the younger boy.

 

      Sehun winced and his body tensed up. The only time he'd ever had sex this sort of way was when his mentor had raped him, and back then, the man hadn't bothered to take care of Sehun before or after the ordeal. Joonmyun was insanely gentle with him though, pausing when he could tell it was too much. As he went on, Sehun found himself enjoying it as well, moaning quietly to himself.

 

      After a sufficient amount of stretching, Joonmyun removed his fingers. Sehun sat up slowly and reached for another thing in the side drawer. He pulled out a small, square package and ripped it open. He pulled out a latex tube and Joonmyun could only look at it curiously. They usually used medicine to stop pregnancy in the city, so an object like this fascinated him in a sense.

 

      Sehun reached for Joonmyun's member and began stroking it with the hand that wasn't holding the condom. Joonmyun broke down into a series of moans, his head naturally going to rest on Sehun's shoulder. After pleasing the older boy enough to feel satisfied with himself, Sehun carefully slid on the condom.

 

      The condom took a little getting used to, but overall, it didn't bother Joonmyun. He pushed Sehun back down onto the bed, hovering over him. He was extremely nervous since he'd never actually had sex this way. He was used to simply following what society told him to do, so he was always on the receiving end. He was scared that he would hurt Sehun and that it wouldn't feel very good for the younger. That was the last thing he wanted to do.

 

      Sehun seemed to notice that Joonmyun was having a mental war with himself. He gently ran his hands up and down the other boy's arms, whispering soothing words. Joonmyun took a deep breath and aligned himself with Sehun's hole. After another large breath, he pushed in.

 

      Sehun's back arched off the bed, a groan escaping his lips. It felt good, but he would be lying if he were to say it didn't hurt. Joonmyun, on the other had, was above the clouds and seeing stars. He hadn't expected it to feel this good being inside Sehun. He had to take a few deep breaths in order to calm himself down. He knew Sehun would need time to adjust to the intrusion as well.

 

      Eventually, Sehun rocked his body against Joonmyun's, mumbling that it was ok to move. The older nodded and very carefully slid out before pushing himself back in. The sensation was dizzying for both boys. Joonmyun found himself getting lost in Sehun's heat, but he tried to stay under control and find places that made Sehun moan especially loud, in hopes that the younger would enjoy it as well. Joonmyun had had enough one-sided sex to know that it wasn't fun.

 

      At one point, Sehun's body tensed and he let out a sound that was mix between a yelp and a scream. Joonmyun stopped his actions and his jaw dropped. Sehun gasped for breath and tangled his fingers into Joonmyun's hair as his back slowly lowered back onto the bed.

      “Don't stop,” he breathed. “Keep going.”

      “It...It didn't hurt?”

      “It felt good...Don't stop...”

 

      Joonmyun nodded slightly and began repeating his action from earlier, trying to hit the same spot that had made Sehun react. With each successful hit, Sehun made a similar sounding moan, surprisingly high-pitched and sharp. Sehun gently tugged on Joonmyun's head and brought him down for sloppy kisses, his fingers still tangled in his hair.

 

      Joonmyun's pace naturally sped up. He was drowning in Sehun's body and in his lips. He felt his high coming sooner than it ever had in the past. He had to wonder if it was always this way for the person in this position. He didn't want to leave Sehun hanging if he finished early though, so he began to stroke Sehun's member.

 

      The boy underneath him whimpered, enjoying the extra treatment. Sehun had never experienced this sort of thing. He was honestly really scared when Joonmyun had started. It wasn't that he didn't trust the older boy, but he'd had some lingering thoughts about his first experience.

 

      This was completely different though. He knew lust was part of why he was feeling so elated, but doing this with Joonmyun was what made it truly stand out. Joonmyun loved him in a way that no one else ever would. He loved Joonmyun in that same way. This wasn't just sex for them. This was making love, just like they'd done back when everything was beginning. He wanted every encounter of theirs to be like this.

 

      Sehun was brought out of his various thoughts by yet another strike to his prostrate, causing him to gasp. With one last thrust from Joonmyun, Sehun reached his high, letting out a long moan, his fingers digging once again through Joonmyun's hair. Joonmyun thrust a few more times before finding his own release.

 

      As they came down from their highs, they were left a panting mess on the bed. Joonmyun pulled out slowly, not planning to do more. It wasn't that he didn't want any more. He just didn't think it would be the best of ideas to keep going for too long, especially if Minki were to wake up.

 

      He began laying down on the bed, but an arm wrapped around his torso and pulled him directly beside Sehun, their bodies touching. He laid his head on Sehun's shoulder, not caring that they were both sweaty. His hair was sticking out in random directions from Sehun's fingers constantly tugging on it. He closed his eyes, letting out a contented sigh.

      “You're pretty good at that,” Sehun said.

      “It was a lot different than I expected...”

      “Did you like it?”

      “Yeah...But I don't want to do it every time.”

      “Alright. We'll switch.” There was a short pause.

      “You were pretty loud...You were never that loud when we had sex before...”

      “I guess I kinda...let go of everything...Do you mind?”

      “No. It made me happy...I'm amazed Minki didn't wake up though...”

      “He sleeps like a rock,” Sehun laughed.

      “Thankfully,” Joonmyun sighed.

 

      Sehun snuggled him closer and Joonmyun wrapped his arm around Sehun's torso. He let his fingers gently slide over the younger's hip bone. Joonmyun really loved Sehun's body. It was admittedly what had initially attracted him to the boy. Now there was so much more to love and appreciate.

      “Can we do this more often?” Sehun asked.

      “Of course. We just need to work around Minki.”

      “We can do that~” Sehun sang.

      “We can,” Joonmyun laughed.

      “Thank you, Joonmyun...for everything.”

      “Of course! Thank you for sticking around with me.”

      “Always~” Sehun whispered. He kissed Joonmyun's cheek. “I love you.”

      “I love you too~”

 

      They laid together for the remainder of Minki's nap. It was only when the baby started to fuss that they finally hauled themselves out of bed, got dressed, and took care of Minki. Sehun limped a bit for the remainder of the day, but he was still joyful when playing with Minki. Joonmyun couldn't help but feel they were precious together. He really did love his current life and his family.


	35. Chapter 35

      A few more weeks went on. Everyone had adjusted to their new lives and time seemed to fly by. The children were already around 3 months old, give or take some weeks. The village was flourishing, though it hadn't had any newcomers since Joonmyun and the others arrived.

 

      Sometimes Joonmyun would think about the city. It seemed like some sort of nightmare, looming over him at times, but never threatening his reality. He was finally free. He'd found somewhere to live and continue on. He'd found a place to belong.

 

      It was a normal day in the village. Sehun yawned as he pushed himself out of bed to get ready for work. He raised an eyebrow when the place next to him was empty. He got dressed and headed towards the kitchen. Minki was playing on the ground in the living room. He was able to roll over on his stomach and lift his head now. Victoria said in the next few months he would be learning to sit up. Sehun couldn't believe how fast he seemed to be growing up.

 

      When Sehun got into the kitchen, Joonmyun was finishing up making breakfast. The younger raised an eyebrow and walked towards him. Joonmyun was facing away from him, cooking over the stove. Sehun slid his arms around the other's waist, nuzzling into his neck.

      “Why are you up so early?” He asked.

      “I wanted to eat with you. Minki woke up early as well.”

      “Hmm~ Wasn't it my turn to take care of him when he woke up?”

      “Yeah, but you were sleeping like a rock and I didn't have the heart to make you wake up. Plus, you have to work most of the day. I can always take naps when Minki does.”

      “Point taken.”

      “Breakfast is ready. Shall we eat?”

      “Sure~”

 

      They set the plates on the table. When Minki started fussing, Joonmyun went over to him and picked him up. He made a quick bottle for him and sat down, feeding Minki and himself when he could spare his hand. As they all finished, Sehun went to get the rest of the way ready for work. When he came out of the bathroom, Joonmyun had Minki in his arms and was standing there, waiting for him.

      “We'll be escorting you to work if you don't mind,” Joonmyun said, smiling sheepishly.

      “You sure? It's a bit of a walk...”

      “It's fine. I could use the exercise and Minki could use some fresh air every now and then.”

      “Alright. Glad to have the company~” Sehun sang.

 

      Joonmyun giggled. Sehun was far more animated and excited these days than he could have ever imagined him being. It was amazing how much they'd let go and relaxed since they'd left the city. They'd both come out of their shells and learned to have fun and truly laugh. They wanted Minki to experience these sorts of feelings as well.

 

      As they were walking, they noticed Luhan holding Hana, with Minseok trailing behind him. They were heading towards the place where everyone had had a campfire before. That was the area where the villagers tended to gather and socialize. They waved to them and walked in that direction. Sehun had a little time to spare before getting to work, so they could afford to chat. Amber, Victoria, Kyungsoo, and Bae were already there.

      “Hey!” Amber shouted, waving excitedly.

      “Morning~” Luhan said happily.

      “Giving Hana some fresh air?” Victoria asked, nodding towards the child in Luhan's arms.

      “Yep. She seems to like it outdoors,” Minseok answered quietly from behind Luhan.

 

      He'd opened up quite a bit more to the others, but his defenses were still high. They would be for some time.

      “Minki likes it too,” Joonmyun added in.

      “Well, duh!” Bae sighed. “Playing outside is the best!”

      “Bae, be polite,” Kyungsoo sighed. He was ready to give birth any day now, so his tolerance for Bae was a bit lower than normal, but he was still as good to the boy as ever.

      “I'm just saying!” Bae whined. “Once Minki, Aaron, Reina, and Hana can walk, I'm gonna start teaching them to build mud castles and forts!”

      “I'm sure they'd love that,” Luhan laughed.

      “You'll have to teach your little brother when he's ready too, Bae,” Kyungsoo added.

      “Well, of course I will...He's my brother after all!”

      “Speaking of Reina and Aaron,” Sehun started. “Are they at home with Henry, Amber?”

      “Yep. I wanted some fresh air so I took a walk. We've been cooped up reading that cheesy book...I must admit it's cleared a lot of things up though...I'll be going home soon. All three of them are hopeless without me~”

      “I wish Jongin would come home,” Kyungsoo sighed.

      “Is he still out searching the forest for supplies and possible newcomers?” Joonmyun asked.

      “He is...”

      “I thought he was supposed to be back by now...I mean, you're about to have a baby!” Sehun fussed.

      “I'm sure he'll be home soon...He always comes home at just the right time. I miss him though...”

      “Well, hopefully he'll come home before your baby's born,” Victoria sighed. “You want him to be there when the baby comes, don't you?”

      “I do, but it's not required. I mean, him coming home to a new baby is a good gift too, don't you think?” Kyungsoo asked.

      “That's true,” Victoria nodded. “Coming home to a family must be nice~”

      “I'm amazed you don't have one already,” Amber joked.

      “Amber!” Victoria gasped, blushing.

      “We all know you're seeing Zhou Mi!”

      “Still...Most of the time we spend the evenings talking...”

      “Most of the time?” Amber prodded.

      “I don't have to tell you anything more,” Victoria huffed.

 

      The group burst into laughter, even Minseok. As the jolly mood began to die down, Sehun was going to explain that he needed to go to work, but something else caught his eye. He turned and saw Jongin rushing towards the group. Sehun's eyes went wide. Before he could even say hi to Jongin, the latter had already addressed someone in the group.

      “Victoria!”

      “What is it, Jongin?” She asked, her eyes wide.

      “I found two others from the city in the forest today. They'd been living there for a while...One of them is pregnant...he fell and hit his head. He's bleeding and unconscious.”

      “Where is he!?”

      “The other man is carrying him here. I ran ahead so I could tell you.”

      “Alright. I'll head over to the care unit now and get things ready.”

      “Thank you. Sorry to break up the morning gossip.”

      “It's fine. One thing though Jongin...” She leaned forward to whisper into his ear. “At least say hello to Kyungsoo. He's been missing you like crazy.”

      “You don't have to tell me that,” he said, a smile growing on his face.

 

      Victoria rushed away. Luhan and Minseok decided it was probably about time for them to take their leave as well, so they began walking away. Jongin went over to Kyungsoo and immediately wrapped his arms around him, whispering how much he missed him and apologizing for being late. Bae stuck his tongue out in disgust at all the affection happening between his parents and ran off in the direction Luhan and Minseok had been in. Sehun, Joonmyun, and Amber were about to leave as well when Sehun spotted the two newcomers, one of which was unconscious in the other's arms. He gasped when he realized just who it was.

      “Baekhyun...?” He whispered. Joonmyun stiffened at the name.

      “You know him?” Jongin asked.

      “Yeah...He was in the same city sector as us...” Sehun mumbled.

      “Well, they left the city a while ago. Baekhyun's the injured one.”

      “I can see that...And he's pregnant?”

      “According to his partner, yes.”

      “Do you mind if I come with you?”

      “Sehun...” Joonmyun muttered.

      “I don't mind...In fact, I have to go tell Zhou Mi about this, so you taking them to Victoria would help me a lot.”

      “Alright. I'll do that.”

      “Thanks.”

 

      Jongin kissed Kyungsoo once more on the forehead then ran off to find Zhou Mi. Sehun glanced towards the two newcomers. The man carrying Baekhyun was tall and had blonde hair. He looked utterly confused and horrified. Sehun really couldn't blame them. They'd been the same way. A tug on Sehun's sleeve caused him to turn around.

      “Joonmyun?” He asked, immediately noticing the fear and worry in the older's eyes.

      “What about work?” He asked softly.

      “I'll have to take the day off. Zhou Mi will understand.”

      “But...” Joonmyun started, but he cut himself off and bit his lip instead.

      “Joonmyun, it's going to be ok. I'll be back later, alright?”

      “Alright...”

 

      Sehun hugged him close, Minki pressed gently in between their chests. He kissed the baby on the head and Joonmyun on the lips. He then rushed over to the confused, tall stranger and began directing them in the direction Victoria had gone. Kyungsoo and Amber walked over to Joonmyun and patted his back.

      “You ok?” Amber asked.

      “Yeah...”

 

      They silently started heading back home. Joonmyun turned back around and stared in the direction Sehun had gone. He hugged Minki closer to his chest and sighed.

      “Just please come back to me...”

 

~*~

      Once Baekhyun and the other stranger had walked into the medical unit, the smaller was whisked away to be treated. The tall man sat down awkwardly in one of the chairs in the waiting area. Sehun took a seat beside him, not really knowing what to say. He cleared his throat and glanced at the stranger.

      “I'm Sehun,” he stated.

      “My name is Kris...” The tall man mumbled.

      “So...What happened? How did you two get here? How did Baekhyun get hurt?”

      “You know Baekhyun?” Kris asked, surprised.

      “Ah...Yeah...” Sehun mumbled. “We were seeing each other for a while in the city...but things happened and I was thrown out of the city with someone else.”

      “I see...”

      “So...How did you two end up here?”

      “Well, It came time for Baekhyun to get pregnant...I didn't know that when we started sleeping together...I also didn't know he was from the birthing class,” Kris sighed.

      “You aren't from that class?”

      “I'm from the family class. I had a family unit and everything...”

      “So you slept with Baekhyun, not knowing that what you were doing was against the law...”

      “And got him pregnant...”

      “Wow...He really has a way with things, doesn't he?”

      “Yeah...But I actually liked that about him. He was different from most of the people I slept with...it was almost like he needed the affection...you know? Like he did crazy, over-the-top things to feel some sense of belonging...”

      “That's deeper than I would have put it...”

      “What would you have said?”

      “He's flashy and a bit of an attention whore...” Sehun mumbled. Kris laughed heartily, to his surprise.

      “I thought that too...But I see him differently now.”

      “It sounds like he needs someone like that,” Sehun stated. “So...how did you two end up here?”

      “Well, when I found out he was pregnant, I kinda freaked...I told him I was in the family class and had a family unit. He was horrified. He decided to cut off ties and have the baby as if it were a normal one, not a mixed one.”

      “Not that there was anything abnormal with the baby...They just don't like the classes to mix,” Sehun interjected.

      “Yeah...But he could have gotten in trouble...and I knew that...So I was always worried about him. I guess it was part of my nature as a member of the family class to take care of people...”

      “So you kept bugging him even after he left you?”

      “More or less...Things seemed like they were going well for a while though...”

      “And the city found out?”

      “Yeah...We were thrown out...and Beakhyun was mad at me again...He went off on his own...He fell and got hurt...his head was bleeding and I...I freaked...I called for help even though I knew no one would come...I tried to take care of him but he was unconscious and just...I felt useless...”

      “Is that when Jongin found you?”

      “Yes...I've never been more thankful in my life...”

      “He found all of us,” Sehun explained. “This is a good place. You and Baekhyun will be safe here.”

      “I just hope he can forgive me...” Kris sighed. “As much as he needs attention, he's also always had a rather independent and defiant attitude...”

      “Give it some time,” Sehun comforted. “I'm sure Baekhyun needs you a lot more than he lets on.”

      “How do you know?”

      “Let's just say, I also used to be rather cold and uncaring, then someone cared for me relentlessly...It took a while, but it finally got through to me.”

      “Is he the one you left the city with?” Kris asked. Sehun nodded. “Is he here with you.”

      “Yeah. He's at home with our baby.”

      “So you're raising your own child?” Kris asked, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

      “Yes. You'll be raising your own child too.”

      “Thank goodness,” Kris sighed, relaxing into his seat. Sehun smiled softly at him and took a deep breath.

      “I should really get home. Joonmyun seemed upset when I left him.”

      “Ah, yes. Thank you for everything,” Kris said, bowing his head multiple times.

 

      As Sehun got up to leave, Victoria headed into the room, sighing and rubbing her temples. Both Kris and Sehun jumped to attention and glanced at her nervously. When she noticed their eyes on her she smiled.

      “He's fine. He's awake now. He'd just hit his head fairly hard and had some minor scrapes and bruises. His ankle is sprained as well, but everything will heal in time.”

      “Thank you!” Kris practically shouted, bowing to her.

      “No problem. It's my job,” she laughed. “Would you like to see him now?” Kris's eyes went wide.

      “I'm not sure I should...” He muttered. Sehun sighed and looked at Victoria.

      “They aren't on the best terms. Let me talk to Baekhyun first.”

 

      Victoria nodded and Kris looked at him dumbfounded. Sehun walked in the direction of the room Victoria had come from. When he got inside, he glanced around. The walls of this room were painted a warm beige color and had various pictures decorating them, more than the city hospitals had ever had. Baekhyun was awake, covered in bandages here and there, and staring at the ceiling. Sehun's eyes shifted towards the boy's stomach. There was barely a bump indicating he was pregnant. He must not have been that far along yet. Sehun sat in the seat beside the bed and Baekhyun's jaw dropped when he noticed him.

      “S-Sehun!? What are you doing here!?”

      “I live here,” Sehun stated. “I have been for almost 4 months now.”

      “R-Really? So the city kicked you out too?”

      “Mhm.”

      “W-Why?”

      “I fell in love with Joonmyun,” Sehun said softly, smiling unconsciously.

      “Love?”

      “Mhm. It means you care for them with your entire being...they make you feel safe and happy. You want to protect them and have them only look at you.”

      “That...sounds like a really heavy burden to carry...”

      “It can be at times, but as hard as it is, it's far more rewarding.”

      “I...see...So then...you wound up staying with Joonmyun, huh? Is he here too?”

      “Mhm. He's at home with our child.”

      “Your child...So you got him pregnant...”

 

      Sehun nodded and there was a moment of silence. Baekhyun's hand drifted to his stomach and he rubbed small circles on it.

      “How far along are you?” Sehun asked.

      “4 months...Is it hard to raise a child?”

      “It's definitely not easy...but it's surprisingly fun. You've got Kris too, so you'll be alright, I think.”

      “Kris? He's here!?”

      “Of course. He seems really devoted to you. He's just afraid to see you because he thinks you're mad at him.”

      “Oh...I guess I was...”

      “Was?” Sehun asked. Baekhyun bit his lip before starting.

      “You know, Sehun...Back in the city, I'd really wanted to have your baby. I was due to get pregnant 6 months later, so I was going to come back to you and ask you to sleep with me again...but you were gone by then...So I went around. I found Kris and thought he was perfect, so I tried so hard to get him to sleep with me...I think I tried too hard...I have a habit of doing that...But Kris still slept with me. In fact, he always told me to just be myself and not try so hard. It was the first time anyone had ever told me that...”

      “Sounds like he's a good guy.”

      “Too good,” Baekhyun whispered. “I got scared when I found out I was pregnant and he was from the family class. I thought he'd turn me in...but he decided to stay by me...then we got thrown out. I was just so scared and I was so horrible to him...he's really still here? After all the cruel things I said?”

      “He was carrying you and panicking,” Sehun explained. “I can't really speak for him, but I think he loves you, Baekhyun, whether he realizes it or not.”

      “Sehun...?”

      “Hm?”

      “I think...I might love him too...based on what you told me...I'm scared though...”

      “Don't be scared, Baekhyun. It will be alright. You two will be fine here.”

      “Can you have him come in here? I wanna talk to him...and apologize...”

      “Alright. I will. Take care of yourself, Baekhyun. You'll make it.”

 

      Sehun gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze then left the room. He forced Kris into the room and shut the door. He gave Victoria a gentle smile and she giggled. After, Sehun waved goodbye and began heading home. He was worried about Joonmyun.

 

      Victoria sat down in a seat and rested. She'd been having headaches lately and her stomach wasn't fairing much better. She'd just called Zhou Mi and asked him to come over, so she was waiting for him. After a short while, the tall man arrived and Victoria got to her feet, beaming a smile and having completely forgotten she wasn't feeling well.

 

      Zhou Mi moved swiftly over to her and immediately embraced her. She hugged him back, letting her head rest on his shoulder. He rubbed her back for a little while before backing away enough to look down at her.

      “Where are the two newcomers?”

      “They're together in the room. They seemed to be a bit at odds, so they're having some alone time. They're both fine though.”

      “That's good. How are you? You look pale.” Victoria smiled gently.

      “I'm fine. There's something I want to tell you though...”

      “What?”

 

      Victoria took one of his hands, which was around her back, and placed it softly on her stomach, her own hand on top. Her smile widened slightly.

      “I'd been feeling unwell lately, so I had a checkup.”

      “What was wrong!?” Zhou Mi asked, concern seeping from his entire being.

      “Nothing,” Victoria laughed. “I'm pregnant,” she whispered. Zhou Mi's eyes widened.

      “A-Are you serious?” He asked. She nodded.

      “I haven't told anyone because I wanted you to know first. I'm about 6 weeks along now.”

 

      Zhou Mi hugged her almost painfully close. He burst out laughing and she laughed too, hugging him back. He rocked her back and forth, tears rolling down his cheeks.

      “Thank you so much...” He whispered. Victoria simply hummed and rubbed his back. “Thank you...I love you...” He continued.

      “I love you too,” Victoria whispered, kissing him on the cheek.

 

      They continued to cuddle, wrapped up in their own happy world. Both had had trouble getting close to others in the past. Now, they would be a family.


	36. Chapter 36

      Joonmyun sat on the bed, rocking Minki in his arms. He was trying not to worry or be nervous, but he couldn't help it. Sehun had left him for Baekhyun in the past. Now that the other boy had shown himself again, Joonmyun couldn't help but wonder if Sehun had lingering feelings for him.

 

      He shook his head, trying to get those negative thoughts out. Sehun had gone through so much with him and Joonmyun knew the younger loved him. His mind just wouldn't let him rest easy though. He glanced to the side and noticed the familiar book on his bedside table. He hadn't read any more of it since he'd received a new copy. Part of him had wanted Sehun to read it with him.

 

      Joonmyun sighed and let his head flop against the headboard. He readjusted Minki in his arms and the little baby cooed at him. Joonmyun tickled his tummy with his finger, getting a loud giggle in return. Minki grabbed Joonmyun's fingers and began playing with them. Joonmyun sighed, his emotions getting the better of him.

      “That's not a sound you'd normally make when playing with Minki,” Sehun said. Joonmyun jumped and glanced at Sehun in the doorway.

      “When did you get back?”

      “Just now. I was worried about you so I came home.” Sehun walked over to the bed and flopped down next to Joonmyun. “You ok?”

      “Y-Yeah...” The older mumbled, not meeting his eyes.

      “Joonmyun...I KNOW you're not ok. What's wrong? You were upset when I left. Why?”

      “I just...I was scared...”

      “Scared? Of what?”

      “I thought...you might not come back...”

      “Why would you think that!?”

      “Because...You left me for Baekhyun in the past...I couldn't help but get scared you might do it again...I'm sorry...”

 

      He heard Sehun sigh and he knew he'd made the younger mad. He was expecting to get scolded, but instead, he felt a warm arm wrap around his shoulder and a body press against his side. Sehun kissed his cheek and leaned his head against his.

      “I'm sorry I worried you. Know this, Joonmyun. I left Baekhyun for you in the end. I don't feel that way about him and I never will. Plus, he's found someone himself. I just wanted to make sure he was ok.”

      “And was he?”

      “Mhm. Nothing to worry about.”

      “That's good...I'm sorry I doubted you...I tried not to, but I...”

      “It's ok. I came back, right? So let's just move on, mk? Has Minki had his nap yet?”

      “Not yet. It'll be time soon enough though.”

      “So what shall we do until then?”

      “There was actually something I wanted to do with you...” Joonmyun said quietly.

      “What's that?”

      “Read the book,” Joonmyun answered, nodding in the direction of the bedside table.

 

      Sehun sat up and leaned over him to grab the book. He flipped through the pages, looking at it curiously.

      “This one?”

      “Yeah. Would you be willing to?”

      “Sure. Have you finished it?”

      “No...I was kinda hoping we could read it together, so...”

      “Hmm~ So we'll find out the ending together? Sounds good to me. You don't mind rereading the beginning?”

      “No. I love the beginning~”

 

      Sehun readjusted himself so that he was comfortable beside Joonmyun. He flipped the book open to the first page and began reading. He retold the story that Joonmyun had read so long ago. The details had become fuzzy to him, but he felt himself getting excited once again as Sehun recalled the story for him.

 

      As Sehun read along, he would stop from time to time, realizing that one of the strange actions Joonmyun did to him had come from the book. He was piecing everything together. Still, he was happy Joonmyun had learned these things and taught them to him.

 

      The man in the book had finally gained the woman's affection. Sehun thought he was going to explode from frustration with how long and hard he'd had to fight. It made Sehun feel bad for putting Joonmyun through everything he had. If he'd been in Joonmyun's position, he probably would have gone insane. He kissed Joonmyun on the cheek at that point, giving a slightly guilty smile, which the other laughed off.

 

      Minki began to fuss and soon Joonmyun was feeding him formula and rocking him to sleep. When the baby was resting in his crib, Joonmyun joined Sehun again on their bed. The younger pulled him into his lap and placed his chin on his shoulder. Joonmyun relaxed against him. Sehun glanced down at the book in front of him and continued to read.

 

      Soon enough, the couple in the book had their first fight. It was hard to read, since Sehun and Joonmyun both knew well what it was like to fight. They might not have had major fights, but their road together had been far from smooth. Thankfully, the two lovers in the book couldn't stay mad at each other for long.

 

      Time went on in the story. Soon, the couple were married, dealing with stress of family and friends, and preparing for the ceremony. Joonmyun and Sehun both didn't know what marriage was, since it wasn't something they had in their society. From what they gathered, it was some sort of public ceremony that united two people. They weren't really sure why the ceremony was necessary, but they couldn't deny it seemed like fun.

 

      As the day went on, Minki woke up again from his nap. Sehun got him up and laid him down on the floor at the foot of the bed, toys around him. He sat beside Minki, leaning against the bed. Joonmyun laid on his stomach and continued to read the book to Sehun as the father played with their son.

 

      After the strange marriage ceremony, the two people lived together. Eventually, the woman announced she was pregnant. Joonmyun and Sehun glanced at each other. They knew this stage very well. The order of the relationship in the book seemed to be a bit different than Joonmyun and Sehun's, but neither felt that was a bad thing. If everyone was happy, what did it matter what order things went it?

 

      The couple wound up having a little girl. As Joonmyun read on, there were plenty of precious moments and mishaps of the child growing up. Eventually, the little girl was a teenager and in love for the first time. This caused Sehun to gasp, making Joonmyun raise an eyebrow.

      “Minki's gonna grow up someday...” Sehun mumbled.

      “Um...Yeah?”

      “He's gonna fall in love with someone someday...”

      “Probably,” Joonmyun confirmed.

      “I don't think I'm ready for that,” Sehun cried dramatically. Joonmyun laughed and pat the younger on the thigh.

      “It'll be ok. I think it'll be a while before that happens. You'll have time to prepare. Don't worry~”

 

      Sehun nodded, still not looking completely convinced. Joonmyun couldn't help but find it adorable how attached Sehun was to Minki. Of course, he didn't really want to share their baby with someone else either, but he wanted Minki to be in love as well. It was a wonderful feeling.

 

      They continued to read the book into the evening, stopping only for dinner and to put Minki to sleep for the night. The daughter of the couple eventually found someone she truly loved after a few failed attempts. She grew up and moved out, leaving the older couple to themselves. They still remained happy together, albeit a bit more lonely than before.

 

      As the book came to a close, the older couple made a promise to be together and love each other until the end. It may not have been the most realistic ending, but Joonmyun definitely liked it. It left him extremely satisfied. He wanted the same thing for himself and Sehun. What they had now was so peaceful, and even if there were ups and downs in the future, it would always worth waking up the next day.

 

      They got ready for bed then curled up together. Joonmyun was pressed againt Sehun's chest, a low-hanging, thin tank top was the only thing separating him from the younger's skin. Joonmyun breathed in the familiar scent and sighed happily. He wrapped his arms around Sehun and nuzzled closer. As he was starting to drift to sleep, he recollected on the book. He then remembered something.

      “Hey, Sehun? You still awake?”

      “Mm...” The other hummed sleepily.

      “Can I ask you something?”

      “You just did,” Sehun responded. Joonmyun rolled his eyes.

      “You know what I meant,” he huffed. Sehun chuckled and nodded.

      “What do you wanna ask?”

      “Well...I know we don't really have it nowadays...but if marriage ever existed again...would you marry me?”

      “That's a silly question...” Sehun muttered sleepily.

      “What do you mean?” Joonmyun said sadly.

      “There's no need to ask me. The answer is already a yes. We're kinda married now, minus the ceremony, don't you think?”

      “I guess...I wonder what made marriage different from living together...” Joonmyun said more to himself.

      “Don't think too hard on it or your head will explode,” Sehun sighed, snuggling him closer.

      “I guess...”

 

      They laid together in silence for a little while. Joonmyun had assumed that Sehun had gone back to sleep already. He was just beginning to doze off when he heard something whispered softly into the air. His grin stretched from ear to ear as he gave just as quiet of a reply.

      “I love you, Joonmyun. Will you marry me someday?”

      “Yes...I will. I love you too, Sehun.”


End file.
